Providing around 20% of global calories, rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important staple crops (Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), 2013). With consumption particularly increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, it is vital to increase rice yields to supply the…

Saffron spice is prized for its aroma, flavor, and color. The latter derives from highly concentrated apocarotenoid glycosides called crocins.  Accumulation of specialized metabolites like crocins often requires their sequestration in the vacuole to prevent cellular toxicity, feedback inhibition of…

When plants are under attack, they activate defense programs including the biosynthesis of chemical defense compounds. The biosynthesis of these phytochemicals has to occur rapidly and represents a major sink of nutrients and amino acids. How plants optimize the mass production of chemical weapons remains…

Tautvydas Shuipys, first author of A Synthetic Peptide Encoded by a Random DNA Sequence Inhibits Discrete Red Light Responses Current Position: PhD Candidate in the Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program at the University of Florida Education: PhD in Genetics and Genomics at the University of Florida…

Jacob O. Brunkard, first author of Plant cell-cell transport via plasmodesmata is regulated by light and the circadian clock Current Position: Principal Investigator, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, UC Berkeley and Plant Gene Expression Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service Education:…

Maite Olaetxea Indaburu, first author of Root ABA and H+-ATPase are key players in the root- and shoot growth promoting action of humic acids Current Position: Post-doc position in research at University of Navarra, Spain (Environmental Biology Group); part time University Instructor at the Public University…

Damián Balfagón Sanmartín, first author of Jasmonic acid is required for plant acclimation to a combination of high light and heat stress Current Position: PhD student at University Jaume I of Castellón, Spain Education: BSc in Agriculture Engineering and MSc Agriculture Biotechnology at University…

Tianhu Sun, fist author of ORANGE Represses Chloroplast Biogenesis in Etiolated Arabidopsis Cotyledons via Interaction with TCP14 Current Position: Post-Doctoral Associate, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University Education: PhD in Biology and BS in Plant Biology from Nanjing University (Nanjing,…