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Plant Biology Faculty at Stanford

Kathy Barton
Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Professor by Courtesy, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Determining how stem cells in the plant meristem make leaves. The role of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in plant development.
  • Research topics: development, gene regulation, genomics, genetics
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana
 
Dominique Bergmann
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Cell fate specification during plant development, primarily focused on the asymmetric divisions that generate stomata in the leaf epidermis and lateral roots from the pericycle. We currently study the local cell--cell interactions that orient cell divisions and mechanisms by which cells polarize their divisions, but are also interested in understanding how cells integrate local signals with long-range environmental signals to optimize stomatal pattern and density for photosynthetic efficiency and plant growth.
  • Research topics: development, cell biology, signal transduction, genetics, genomics
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana and other species as appropriate
 
Devaki Bhaya
Adjunct Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Research interests: Molecular basis of phototaxis in cyanobacteria; signal transduction networks; type IV pilus mediated motility; comparative and functional genomics in cyanobacteria
  • Research topics: genetics, genomics, gene regulation, evolution, photosynthesis, environment
  • Species studied: Synechocystis sp., Anabaena sp., Synechococcus sp.
 
Winslow Briggs
Emeritus Director, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Research interests: Physical and chemical properties of phytochrome and blue light photoreceptors for the photomorphogenic processes. Emphasis is on interactions of the photoreceptors with membranes, physiological, biochemical, and molecular consequences of photoreceptor excitation, and plant growth hormone physiology and biochemistry.
  • Research topics: biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, photomorphogenesis, signal transduction
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana and others as appropriate.
 
Dave Ehrhardt
Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Plant Cell Imaging
Research interests: We are using fluorescent molecular tags combined with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) to vizualize live plant cells and plant cell components.
  • Research topics: cell biology, development, genetics, genomics, proteomics
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana
 
Matt Evans
Adjunct Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Research interests: Interactions between maternal effect and zygotic effect mutations during maize seed development and Teosinte crossing barrier1, a locus governing hybridiztion of teosinte with maize.
  • Species studied: Maize
 
Wolf B. Frommer
Director and Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Professor by Courtesy, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Mechanisms controlling the transport of sugars and amino acids between cells and organs (e.g. sugar sensing). Macromolecule transport between cells via plasmodesmata. Development of nanosensors for in vivo imaging of metabolites.
  • Research topics: molecular cell biology, molecular physiology, nanosensor design, imaging
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana, Lycopersicon esculentum, Mus musculus
 
Arthur Grossman
Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Professor by Courtesy, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Genomics; acclimation of photosynthetic organisms to environmental conditions; Photoperception and signal transduction; Acquisition and utilization of nutrients.
  • Research topics: genomics, genetics, gene regulation, metabolism, photosynthesis, environment
  • Microbes and photosynthetic organisms studied: Synechocystis Pcc6803, Porchlorococcus ProMed4, Prochlorococcus 9313, Chlamydomans reinhardtii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana
 
Martin Jonikas
Staff Associate, Carengie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Research interests: Photosynthesis provides energy for most life on Earth, and as humans increasingly change this planet it is essential that we understand this process and the organisms which perform it. Our lab aims to dramatically accelerate our understanding of photosynthesis by applying novel functional genomics strategies to the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
  • Research topics: photosynthesis, carbon concentration, lipid biogenesis, genetics, molecular biology, cell biology
  • Species studied: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Sharon R. Long
Professor, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Cell signaling between bacterial symbionts and host plants; genetics and functional genomics of Rhizobium; symbiotic nitrogen fixation; gene expression
  • Research topics: biochemistry, genetics, genomics, gene regulation, plant-microbe interaction, symbiosis, development, differentiation, cell cycle
  • Species studied: Sinorhizobium meliloti, other rhizobia, Medicago sativa (alfalfa), Medicago truncatula
 
Mary Beth Mudgett
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research interests: Molecular and biochemical basis of plant-pathogen interactions, cell-to-cell communication, bacterial type III protein secretion, type III effector function, plant disease resistance, plant localized cell death.
  • Research topics: plant-microbe interaction, host-pathogen interaction, genetics, genomics, signal transduction.
  • Species studied: Pseudomonas syringae, Xanthomonas campestris, Arabidopsis thaliana, tomato 
 
Sue Rhee
Staff Associate, Carnegie Insititution, Department of Plant Biology
Research interests: I am interested in understanding the underlying mechanisms of complex systems. The subject of my studies is a multicellular plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. I am developing a comprehensive computer-based intrastructure to integrate all information known about his plant in order to develop methods and software for predicting complex behaviors such as responses to temperature and light.
  • Research topics: bioinformatics, cell biology, environmental stress, genomics, global gene expression, metabolism, systems biology
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thaliana 
 
Ginny Walbot
Professor, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research Interests: Molecular and developmental regulaton of the MuDR/Mu transposons of maize, using genetically engineered transposons to define maize gene function and to study transposon regulation. Impact of UV-B on maize and MuDR/Mu elements.
  • Research topics: biochemistry, development, environmental stress, evolution, gene expression, gene regulation, genetics, genomics
  • Species studied: Maize, with other species (e.g. Petunia, Arabidopsis) as appropriate 
 
Zhiyong Wang
Staff Scientist, Carnegie Institution, Department of Plant Biology
Assistant Professor by Courtesy, Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Research Interests: Research in my laboratory focuses on molecular genetic and proteomic studies of the brassinosteroid (BR) signal transduction pathways in the model plant system Arabidopsis thaliana.
  • Research topics: biochemistry, cell biology, genetics , genomics, proteomics, signal transduction
  • Species studied: Arabidopsis thalia