Overview
Normal plant morphogenesis and environmental responses require integrating multiple signals to modulate auxin responsiveness, biosynthesis, transport, and storage forms. Auxin is a critical plant hormone, controlling both cell division and cell expansion and thereby orchestrating many developmental events and environmental responses. Our research focuses on a molecular understanding of auxin signaling, auxin homeostasis, and auxin crosstalk with other hormones. Understanding these molecular details will yield insight into strategies used by plants to alter growth in response to various environmental factors.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Biology
·
2023 - Present
Biology,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Associate Professor of Cell Biology
·
2022 - Present
Cell Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Recent Publications
Advancing our understanding of root development: Technologies and insights from diverse studies.
Journal Article Plant physiology · February 2025 Understanding root development is critical for enhancing plant growth and health, and advanced technologies are essential for unraveling the complexities of these processes. In this review, we highlight select technological innovations in the study of root ... Full text CitePIN2-mediated self-organizing transient auxin flow contributes to auxin maxima at the tip of Arabidopsis cotyledons.
Journal Article Nature communications · February 2025 Directional auxin transport and formation of auxin maxima are critical for embryogenesis, organogenesis, pattern formation, and growth coordination in plants, but the mechanisms underpinning the initiation and establishment of these auxin dynamics are not ... Full text CiteAllovalent scavenging of activation domains in the transcription factor ANAC013 gears transcriptional regulation.
Journal Article Nucleic acids research · February 2025 Transcriptional regulation involves interactions between transcription factors, coregulators, and DNA. Intrinsic disorder is a major player in this regulation, but mechanisms driven by disorder remain elusive. Here, we address molecular communication withi ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026Collaborative Research: PlantSynBio: Identification and Design of Transcriptional Activation Domains Across Plant Species
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2021 - 2026NSF Engines Type -1: Climate-Resilient Opportunities for Plant Systems (CROPS) Innovation Engine
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University · 2024 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Washington State University ·
2004
Ph.D.