The Plant Cell Features November First Authors
Behind those manuscripts are researchers, professors, professionals and students dedicated to advancing the field of plant science. You’ve seen our First Authors on Twitter and Facebook— now, read more about why they chose to pursue plant sciences and click on the links to read their articles.
Xiang Wei
Xiang Wei is the First Author of H2O2 negatively regulates aluminum resistance via oxidation and degradation of the transcription factor STOP1 published 04 November 2023. Wei is PhD candidate at Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences Education includes a BSc in Biotechnology from Hunan University of Science and Technology. Research interests include Abiotic stress and personal interests include running, hiking and badminton. When asked if anyone inspired Wei:“Professor Huang Chaofeng has given me great guidance and encouragement in my research, so that I have a more comprehensive understanding and insight on the mechanism of Al-resistance in plants.”
Tian Li
Tian Li (she/her) is a First Author of Evolution of the thermostability of actin-depolymerizing factors enhances the adaptation of pollen germination to high temperature published 06 November 2023. She is currently a PhD candidate in the School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University. In 2017 she earned a BSc from Shanxi Normal University. Research interests include plant cytoskeleton and abiotic stress. Personal interests include running, reading and traveling.
Unlike animals, plants grow fixedly and require the ability to cope with environmental changes. Li is very interested in exploring the mysteries of this process, so her research has always been dedicated to studying the molecular mechanisms of this process.
Shuyuan Chen
Shuyuan Chen (she/her) is a First Author of Evolution of the thermostability of actin-depolymerizing factors enhances the adaptation of pollen germination to high temperature published 06 November 2023.Chen is currently a PhD candidate in School of Life Sciences,Lanzhou University. Her education background includes a 2021 Master Degree from Lanzhou University and a 2015 Bachelor’s Degree from GanSu agricultural University. Research interests include plant cytoskeleton and abiotic stress. Personal interests include singing,playing the piano, and doing handwork.
Chen became interested in botany as an undergraduate student. In September 2021, she entered the School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, and had the honor to join Prof. Yun Xiang’s research team to study. During this stage, Chen began to participate in the research on the molecular biological function of ADF family in Arabidopsis and developed a strong interest in the field of botany.
Dong Qian
Dong Qian (he/him) is a First Author of Evolution of the thermostability of actin-depolymerizing factors enhances the adaptation of pollen germination to high temperature published 06 November 2023. Qian is currently a Young Research Fellow. In 2016, he earned a Ph.D in Plant at Lanzhou University; in 2009, he earned a BSc in Biology Lanzhou University. Research interests include Plant cell, Abiotic stress, Sexual reproduction. Personal interests include reading and running.
Plants bloom during the day and close at night, which Qian finds fascinating. Qian is inspired by how botanical research can help feed humans and his tutor, Prof Xiang Yun.
Chen Liu
Chen Liu (she/her) is the First Author of A Proxitome–RNA–Capture Approach Reveals that Processing Bodies Repress Co–Regulated Hub Genes published 16 November 2023. She is a Research Associate at the Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH)，Greece. In 2015, she earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; 2010, an MSc in Botany from Sun Yat-sen University, China; and in 2007, BSc in Biotechnology at Hunan Agricultural University, China. Research interests include how plasma membrane protein complexes and condensates affect plant development and response to stress. Personal interests include skiing and photography.
Her research interest focuses on how plasma membrane protein complexes and condensates affect plant development and response to stress. She is fascinated by the plasticity and diversity of plant condensates and phase separation on plant stress and development.
Juan Jiang
Juan Jiang is the First Author of Forces driving transposable element load variation during Arabidopsis range expansion published 30 November 2023. She is currently a Graduate student at Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Jiang’s education background includes a BSc in Animal Science from China Agricultural University in 2018. Jiang’s research interests are transposable elements and population genetics. Personal interests include reading and sightseeing. Jiang was born in the Yunnan province of China, one of the hotspots of biodiversity. The diverse plants attracted Jian to plant science.
Haiyan Zhao
Haiyan Zhao is the First Author of The transcription factor MdBPC2 alters apple growth and promotes dwarfing by regulating auxin biosynthesis published 29 November 2023. Zhao is currently at Northwest A&F University as a PhD candidate in Pomology. From 2013-2017, Zhao earned a B.S. in Horticulture from Northwest A&F University. yResearch interests include plant growth at development. Personal interests include running and badminton.
In 2013, Zhao entered Northwest A&F University to study for a bachelor ‘s degree in Horticulture College. Fortunately, Zhao joined Professor Li Mingjun’s research group for academic research in 2017. From then on, this first author formed an indissoluble bond with apples. Zhao’s main research direction is the functional study of BPC transcription factors in apples. In this study, Zhao and co-authors focused on the molecular mechanism of plant stunting caused by overexpression of BPC2 transcription factor, and how BPC transcription factor regulates agronomic traits of apples through epigenetic modification.
Andriani Mentzelopoulou
Andriani Mentzelopoulou (she/her) is the First Author of A Proxitome–RNA–Capture Approach Reveals that Processing Bodies Repress Co–Regulated Hub Genes published 16 November 2023.
She is a PhD candidate at the Department of Biology, University of Crete, Greece. In 2019, Mentzelopoulou earned a MSc Plant Molecular and Applied Biology – Green Biotechnology, University of Crete, Greece. In 2018, she earned a BSc Biology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Research interests include cell/developmental biology, condensates, RNA biology, abiotic stress. Personal interests include functional-cross training, traveling, watching movies, and painting.
Mentzelopoulou became interested in plants after getting familiar with Plant Physiology starting from the first semester of her bachelor’s degree. The sessile nature of plants urged her to try and understand how plants grow and at the same time sense and endure (a)biotic stresses. Furthermore, she was lucky enough to be trained and inspired by brilliant scientists throughout this academic process.
Elena Lesch
Elena Lesch (she/her) is the First Author of Conservation of the moss RNA editing factor PPR78 despite the loss of its known cytidine-to-uridine editing sites is explained by a hidden extra target published Nov 24 2023.
Lesch is currently a PhD candidate, at the Institute of Cellular and Molecular Botany at University of Bonn. She earned a MSc in Plant Sciences in 2020 from the University of Bonn and a BSc in Biology in 2017 from the University of Bonn. Research interests include Plant RNA editing, organelles, protein expression. Personal interests include nature, running, traveling, house plants, board & card games. This First Author knew she would be a plant biologist after she spent a beautiful time volunteering in the Galapagos islands.
