Asst. Prof. John Ward Dept. of Plant Biology

John Ward - Research Interests:
Membrane proteins, such as pumps, ion channels, transporters, and receptors control the flow of nutrients and other solutes into and out of cells and cellular organelles. Research in my lab is directed at understanding the role of solute transport in physiological processes of plants such as nutrient acquisition, phloem function (long-distance transport), and signal transduction. We use the tools of molecular biology, electrophysiology, and genomics to study membrane protein structure/function and transgenic approaches to understand the roles of genes encoding membrane proteins in plants.

Contact Information:
Office: 618 BioSci Center  Ph: (612) 625-4763         
Lab: 617-623 BioSci Center Ph: (612) 625-2776
Email: jward@umn.edu 

Assoc. Prof. Sue Gibson Dept. of Plant Biology

Sue Gibson - Research Interests:

Our lab is taking a molecular-genetic approach to investigating the role of endogenous sugar levels in regulating plant gene expression and development. Sugars may be considered to be similar to hormones in that they are synthesized in one part of the plant and then transported to other parts of the plant where they affect gene expression, time of flowering, early seedling development and other plant processes. To learn more about the role of soluble sugar levels in regulating plant development, and to identify the signal transduction pathways between sugar and gene expression, we have isolated two groups of mutants that are defective in their response to sugar. Currently, we are characterizing these mutants and are cloning the affected genes. In addition to addressing basic scientific questions, a long term goal of our research is to engineer more productive plants by altering the way that plants respond to sugar. A second project in our lab is aimed at using genetic engineering to increase the levels of two anti-cancer agents, vincristine and vinblastine, in C. roseus (periwinkle).

Dr. Gibson will be rotating off the MPGI Steering Committee in October 2007.

Contact Information:
Office: 322 Cargill/MPG  Ph: (612) 624-7408
Lab: 350 Cargill/MPG  Ph: (612) 624-2179
Email: gibso043@umn.edu

Gary Muehlbauer - Research Interests:
My research focuses on barley and wheat molecular genetics.  In particular, my lab is studying a fungal disease of barley and wheat called fusarium head blight (FHB).  My colleagues and I are actively engaged in exploring this plant-pathogen interaction. 

Assoc. Prof. Gary Muehlbauer Dept. of Agronomy & Plant Genetics

We are using genetics, molecular biology, genomics and plant transformation technologies to understand this interaction and to develop FHB resistant barley and wheat.  In addition, we are studying the developmental genetics of tillering and examining the potential for barley improvement through the use of wild barley germplasm.

Contact Information:
Office: 542 Borlaug Hall  Ph: (612) 625-6228 
Lab: 593 Borlaug Hall  Ph: (612) 625-9701
Email: muehl003@umn.edu

Carol Ishimaru - Research Interests
My current research is directed to determining the genome sequence of the bacterial ring rot pathogen, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (Cms), which can survive in plants for several generations without producing noticeable disease symptoms. This poses a major challenge

Carol Ishimaru, Professor and Head, Dept. of Plant Pathology

to potato seed certification and ring rot eradication. Though high-GC (Guanine-Cytosine) gram-positive bacteria such as Cms cause significant losses in several important U.S. crops, very little is known about their molecular determinants of pathogenicity. Therefore, my long-term research goal is to identify the basis for pathogenicity in Cms. Identifying the genes affecting pathogenicity could lead to a better understanding of how this pathogen persists in apparently healthy plants. My other research objective is to reveal any concordances in pathogenicity among high-GC gram-positive plant and animal pathogens.

Contact Information:
Office: 495 Borlaug Hall Ph: (612) 625-9736
Email: cishimar@umn.edu

Fumiaki Katagiri - Research Interests
A major type of plant defense against pathogen is inducible defense: i.e., defense

Assoc. Prof. Fumi Katagiri, Dept. of Plant Biology

mechanisms are turned on upon recognition of pathogen attack. Research in my group is directed towards understanding (1) how plants recognize pathogen attack and (2) how this recognition leads to induction of coordinated responses in plants. We use Arabidopsis thaliana and its bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae as a model to study these problems. The type of resistance we study is called resistance ( R ) gene-mediated resistance. R gene-mediated resistance is usually strong and based on highly specific recognition of particular pathogen factors.

Contact Information:
Office: 326 Cargill/MPG  Ph: (612) 624-5195
Lab: 350 Cargill/MPG 
Email: katagiri@umn.edu

Lawrence Wackett - Research Interests
The Wackett laboratory studies microbial catabolic enzymology and functional genomics:

Professor Larry Wackett, Dept. of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, and Biotechnology Institute

fundamental biological mechanisms, enzyme evolution and applications for biotechnology. Microbial enzymes represent the most diverse biocatalytic potential on Earth. Our knowledge of what nature has wrought is increasingly being used for bioremediation to detoxify hazardous waste and for biocatalysis to synthesize specialty and commodity chemicals. Current studies are focused on microbial genomics and the generation of bio-based fuels from renewable resources. We represent the breadth of microbial biocatalytic reactions on the web-based Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database. This research has led to the development of software tools for predicting microbial metabolic pathways

Contact Information:
Office: 156a Gortner   Ph: (612) 625-3785
Lab: 144/156 Gortner Ph: (612) 624-4278
E-mail: wacke003@umn.edu