Cell and Developmental Biology Research
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit in plants and all living things. Cells coordinate the acquisition of nutrients and information from the environment, replication and the formation of complex tissues and organisms. Cell biology is the study of the operations, behavior, functions, properties and structures of cells. More focused, developmental biology concerns the genetic controls associated with cell growth, differentiation and morphogenesis, or the formation and growth of tissues and organs during development. At the Noble Foundation, scientists and researchers seek to learn more about the mechanisms that control root growth, including directionality (which enables correct anchorage, nutrient and water acquisition), seedling emergence and light absorption for photosynthesis. Additionally, research at the Noble Foundation is concerned with cellular-level signaling mechanisms that regulate cell growth as well as modulate plant responses to various environmental stimuli.
Representative research
- Regulation of root growth and development, focusing on the cytoskeleton, membrane trafficking and ion signaling (Blancaflor)
- Investigation of the role of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) in plant development, hormone signaling and stress responses (Blancaflor)
- Study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying plant gravity responses (Blancaflor)
- Development of fluorescent cellular reporters and implementation of new cellular imaging technology for basic plant biology research (Blancaflor)
- Investigation of molecular and cellular processes in polarity control of auxin transport (Chen)
- Identification of signaling components involved in defense response induced by the ethylene-induced xylanase elicitor (Mysore)
- Study of the molecular and biochemical roles of root border cells in plant-microbe interactions (Sumner)
Principal investigators
Elison Blancaflor, Ph.D., Plant Biology Division
Rujin Chen, Ph.D., Plant Biology Division
Kirankumar Mysore, Ph.D., Plant Biology
Lloyd Sumner, Ph.D., Plant Biology