2024 Plant Direct Author Features (Fourth Edition)
Read all about why these Plant Direct First Authors chose to pursue plant sciences and see their manuscripts here.
Asena Akköse Baytar
Asena Akköse Baytar is the first author of Association mapping and candidate gene identification for yield traits in European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) published August 20 2024. She is a Postdoctoral researcher at İzmir Institute of Technology. Education background includes 2022 Ph.D Molecular Biology and Genetics at İzmir Institute of Technology.
Research interests are Quantitative genetics, Genome editing. Personal interests include Painting, video games, anime.
“Since I grew up and lived in an environment surrounded by greenery, plants have always been a part of my life. When I decided to shape my future by studying molecular biology and genetics at university, my journey into the micro world of plants through molecular genetics began. I realized during the years of my university education that I wanted to advance in the field of plant genetics. Throughout my postgraduate studies, Prof. Dr. Sami Doğanlar and Prof. Dr. Anne Frary, who are exceptional masters in their fields, inspired me and taught me the joy of loving what I do. I think the true pleasure of achieving success lies in doing what you love.”
Quentin Rivière
Quentin Rivière is the first author of Effects of light regimes on circadian gene co-expression networks in Arabidopsis thaliana published 26 August 2024. Rivière is a Post-doctoral researcher at Institute of Plant Molecular Biology (Czech Academy of Sciences). Education background includes Ph.D Agronomy and Sciences of Life Engineering at Free University of Brussels. Research interests include Plant nutrition, Gene regulation, Circadian clock, Epigenomics, Stress responses.Personal interests include Learning languages, Hiking, Reading.
“My passion for plants goes back to university, more precisely to my lectures in plant physiology. They were taught by Pr. Nathalie Verbruggen – who would later become my PhD supervisor. It was an eye-opening experience. I figured out that plants, which I had only considered until then because of their pleasant presence in the landscape, developed fascinating mechanisms due to their sessility. When I also understood that Pr. Nathalie Verbruggen was a brilliant lab manager striving for excellence, I did not hesitate to contact her to complete a Master’s thesis. An amazing adventure started, with a project connected not only to stress responses but also to the circadian clock, which was delighting a math nerd like me. I have met astonishing and inspiring people on this journey, especially my co-authors – I have learned tremendously from them. I must also mention Qiying Xiao, who was instrumental in encouraging me to pursue a PhD. I am currently being mentored by Iva Mozogova, in this wonderful country that is the Czech Republic. Among other things, I have the opportunity to discover another curious world: that of green microalgae…”
Kasey Markel
Kasey Markel is the First Author of Expression of a mammalian RNA demethylase increases flower number and floral stem branching in Arabidopsis thaliana published 21 August 2024. He is the Gene Editing Lead at Semilla Nueva. Education background includes: 2024 PhD in Plant Biology at UC Berkeley, 2021 MS in Plant Biology at UC Davis, 2018 MPhil in Plant Biology at University of Cambridge, 2017 BS in Science! at University of Miami. Research interests include Biofortification, Plant synthetic biology. Personal interests include Paragliding, climbing, wingfoiling.
“I’ve always thought plants were fascinating lifeforms, but became interested in pursuing plant biotechnology professionally when I realized they constitute (directly or indirectly) the vast majority of the human food supply. I’m inspired by the zoomed out “line go up” graphs of human progress made famous by Our World in Data and Stephen Pinker – technological innovation has made malnutrition much rarer in the last century, and I hope to see it become much rarer still during this one.”
Yeong-Geun Lee
Yeong-Geun Lee (he) is the First Author of Deciphering chemical diversity among five variants of Abeliophyllum distichum flowers through metabolomics analysis. Lee is a Research professor at Kyung Hee University. Education background includes a 2020 Ph.D Natural Products Chemistry at Kyung Hee University; 2017 MSc Natural Products Chemistry at Kyung Hee University; 2015 BSc Biotechnology Kyung Hee University. Research interests include Plant metabolism, natural products chemistry, metabolomics, secondary metabolites.Personal interests include fitness, squash.
“Revealing secondary metabolites in natural products chemistry feels like embarking on a new adventure every time.”
Jayde A. Zimmerman
Jayde A. Zimmerman (she/her) is the First Author of Arabidopsis Apoplast TET8 Positively Correlates to Leaf Senescence and tet3tet8 Double Mutants are Delayed in Leaf Senescence published 24 September 2024. Zimmerman is a Senior Research Technician at Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Her education background includes 2018 BS University of Tampa, 2024 MS Califorina State University, Long Beach. Research interests include Apoplast, extracellular vesicles, Leaf Senescence, Tetraspanins, Plant reproduction, bolting. Personal interests include Running, hiking, pressing plants, algae.
“My initial fascination with plant science stemmed from observing how plants manage to navigate and overcome various obstacles through their distinct molecular processes, all while remaining in one place. This observation led me to believe that the lessons we can learn from plants extend well beyond their biological aspects.Dr. Judy Brusslan, my mentor, has been a significant source of inspiration. I respect her work ethic and the way she encourages students to realize their full potential.”
