RESEARCH PROJECTS

Our Current Focus

Protein Breakdown in response to drought and rehydration

We focus on the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and its function in regulating signaling cascades in plant cells. Plants genomes encode hundreds of UPS components with yet specific and uncharacterized roles. We seek to uncover the ways in which targeted protein breakdown modifies the plant's response to drought growth conditions. Our goal is to expend the potential for breeding in the aim of designing genome-edited resilient crops.

Plant Hormonal Signaling

Plants employ complex and intertwining signaling cascades, driven by chemical signals to translate and adapt to environmental changes.

We study the molecular signaling mechanisms of strigolactone, and cytokinin and their regulatory intersections to better understand plant responses to abiotic changes.

Molecular regulation of flowering

We uncover the regulatory mysteries of a unique late-flowering tomato mutant by employing advanced genetic and structural techniques, spotlighting the pivotal role of a single amino acid change within the conserved florigen pathway.