Research interests focus on understanding the mechanisms by which plants perceive and respond to environmental stresses such as high salinity and drought. Detailed descriptions of specific research projects that emphasize different aspects of this general theme can be found by clicking on highlighted text.

Major research projects include:

• Functional Genomics of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM).CAM is water-conserving photosynthetic pathway that helps plants survive in seasonally arid climates or those with intermittent water supply (e.g. epiphytic habitats). Our research objectives are to understand how the expression of CAM is controlled by environmental stress (salinity, water deficit) and the circadian clock. Our approach is to conduct integrated transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome analyses.

• Mechanisms of the Evolutionary Origins of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in Tropical Orchids. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) has evolved multiple times in 33 families and 328 genera comprising more than 6% of all vascular plant species making it the second most common mode of photosynthesis among vascular plants. Our goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the evolution of this important photosynthetic adaptation. Our approach is to survey foliar carbon isotopic composition (delta¹³C) to map the occurrence of CAM in closely related species within the Oncidiinae, a subtribe within Orchidaceae, and then identify molecular genetic changes specific to plants that exhibit CAM

• The Virtual Berry Project: Functional Genomics of Grape Berry Development. Berries from wine and table grape (Vitis vinifera) are the most widely cultivated and economically important fruit crop worldwide. In contrast to well-studied climacteric fruit models, such as tomato,relatively little is known about the molecular genetic mechanisms that govern grape berry development and ripening. Our research goal is to develop a model system in which to apply functional genomics approaches to the study of the developing berry.
   
• Integrating the Unknowneome with abiotic stress response networks in Arabidopsis. The long-term goal of this research is to assign a function to every unknown gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our research focus is on genes and networks that function in abiotic stress, such as chilling, water deficit, salt, flooding, high light and oxidative environments. Our approaches are to test the function of unknown genes using gain/loss of function assays in planta and to establish a protein-protein “interactome” database to reveal potential network connections between genes of known and unknown function.

• Gene Discovery in Resurrection Species. The long-term goal of this integrated research-education-extension project is to use resurrection plants as models to develop and enhance course offerings in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology and related topics, to develop an integrated research and extension project using Sporobolus as a forage grass, and to gain a basic understanding of the unique gene and gene regulatory networks that are necessary and sufficient for vegetative tissues to withstand dehydration and then rapidly recover upon rehydration that will serve as a case study for advanced teaching modules for crop improvement strategies.

• Biofuels from Salt Basin Algae: A Renewable Energy Crop for Carbon Sequestration. The long-term goal of the proposed research is to optimize and implement the use of halophytic microalgae as a biofuel crop. Halophytic green algae are ideally suited as a non-seasonal, renewable energy resource for the arid western U.S. because they are 30 times more productive than terrestrial feedstocks (e.g., soy, canola), can be grown on marginal lands with brackish or saline water unsuitable for traditional agriculture, and provide unlimited potential for sequestration of CO₂ from biomass, coal, and gas-fired power plants.
   

Students and postdoctoral research associates with broad interests in plant molecular genetics, genetic engineering of plants, and plant biochemistry are welcomed to pursue training opportunities in this laboratory.

Our research is funded by the National Science Foundation (Integrative Organismal Biology and 2010 Programs), United States Department of Agriculture (NRI-CRGP), Department of Transportation (SunGrant Initiative), and the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station.

• BCH 706 - Functional Genomics
• Biochemistry Graduate Program Director
• BCH 718 - Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
   

2003 Outstanding CABNR Researcher Award
 

Associate Editor: Plant Cell & Environment

Editorial Board Member: Journal of Experimental Botany, Journal of Plant Physiology