2024 Plant Direct Author Features (First Edition)
Read all about why these Plant Direct First Authors chose to pursue plant sciences and see their manuscripts here.
Kyoko Takamatsu
Kyoko Takamatsu is the First Author of α-Tomatine gradient across artificial roots recreates the recruitment of tomato root-associated Sphingobium published 18 December 2023. She is a Ph.D student at the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University. Kyoto’s education background includes a MSc in Agricultural Studies at Kyoto University (2022) and a BSc in Science at Nara Women’s University (2020).Research interests include Plant-Microbe interactions, Secondary metabolite, Rhizosphere, and Tomato and personal interests include Traveling, Cactus growing, and Capybara.
Kyoto wondered why immobile plants could survive so strongly. She found plant-microbe interactions are survival strategies, and became interested in how they interact.
Zachary Kileeg
Zachary Kileeg (he/him) is the First Author of Differential expansion and retention patterns of LRR-RLK genes across plant evolution published 21 December 2023. He is currently a PhD Candidate at University of Toronto, Cell and Systems Biology. His education background includes a 2018 MSc in Applied Biosciences at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Zachary’s research interests include Plant immunity, Evolutionary biology, and Bioinformatics. His personal interests include running and music.
He became interested in plant science by nature of how complex the genetics of plants are.
Aparna Haldar
Aparna Haldar (she/her) is the First Author of Differential expansion and retention patterns of LRR-RLK genes across plant evolution published 21 December 2023. She is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto. Education background includes 2019 – Present, PhD. Cell and Systems Biology at University of Toronto, and 2016-2018, MSc. Biology at University of Ottawa.
Research interests include Plant immunity, Genetics, and Biotic stress. Personal interests include cooking and traveling.
Aparna became interested in plant science through an undergraduate research project where she worked on Arabidopsis. The results excited her!
Rong Guo
Rong Guo (she/her) is the First Author of PELOTA and HBS1 suppress co‐translational messenger RNA decay in Arabidopsis published 26 December 2023. Guo is an Alumna of University of Pennsylvania. Education background includes: 2023 Ph.D in Biology at University of Pennsylvania; 2017 BA. in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Genetics at Boston University. Her research interests include regulation mechanisms and functions of co-translational decay in plants. Personal interests include playing the piano, reading and traveling. Rong’s Ph.D advisor Dr. Brian Gregory and undergraduate advisor Dr. Horacio Frydman inspire her in her research.
Connor L. Hodgins
Connor L. Hodgins is the First Author of Creating saponin-free yellow pea seeds by CRISPR/Cas9-enabled mutagenesis on β-amyrin synthase published 11 January 2024. He is currently a Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. His education background includes a 2023 Ph.D in Biochemistry at the University of Calgary and a 2016 BSc in Botany at the University of Calgary. Connor’s research interests include Specialized plant metabolism, agriculture, and gene-editing. Personal interests include Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
He loves studying plant sciences because of the diverse compounds plants produce. They are crucial for industry and medicine as well as for food production.
Aslıhan Özbilen
Aslıhan Özbilen (she/her) is the First Author of Identification and Expression of Strigolactone Biosynthesis & Signaling Genes and the in vitro Effects of Strigolactones in Olive (Olea europaea L.) published 25 February 2024. She is a Dr. Research Assistant at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Her education background includes a PhD Plant Biotechnology at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (2019), a MSc Plant Biotechnology at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (2013) and a BSc Biology at Hacettepe University (2009). Özbilen’s research interests include Plant biotechnology, Phytohormone biosynthesis pathways, and Tissue culture. Her personal interests include Jigsaw puzzles, Travelling, and Painting.
First Author Aslıhan became interested in plant science because she wanted to put a piece in the puzzle of the fascinating secrets of plant growth and development.
Danny Ginzburg
Danny Ginzburg (he/him) is the First Author of Non-destructive, whole-plant phenotyping reveals dynamic changes in water use efficiency, photosynthesis, and rhizosphere acidification of sorghum accessions under osmotic stress published 7 March 2024. He is currently a PhD candidate in the University of Cambridge Department of Plant Sciences. Danny’s education background includes a 2014 BA in Earth & Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University and a 2018 MSc in Agricultural Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Research interests include plant physiology and circadian biology and personal interests include food, sports and reading. Ginzburg is a I am a botanist at heart. I love plants because they are both delicate and resilient. They are beautiful and full of stories.
