ASPB News THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS Volume 38, Number 4 July/August 2011
Inside This Issue ASPB Members Elected to 2011 Class President’s Letter of National Academy of Sciences 75th Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Section ASPB members Steven E. Jacobsen and James A. recognition of their distinguished and continuing Birchler were elected to the National Academy of Sci- achievements in original research. The total number ASPB Welcomes Patti ences (NAS) on May 3, 2011, at the Academy’s 148th of active members is now 2,113, and the total Lockhart as New Managing Editor annual meeting. In addition, ASPB member Jiayang number of foreign associates is 418. Foreign associ- Li was named as a foreign associate of the Academy. ates are nonvoting members of the Academy, with Kathy Munkvold Selected This election admitted a total of 72 new mem- citizenship outside the United States. as ASPB Plant Science Policy Fellow bers and 18 foreign associates from 15 countries in continued on page 13
HHMI and GBMF Name 15 ASPB Members as Investigators
Two of the nation’s largest private sponsors of in fundamental plant science, and we hope it will research have taken a giant leap into plant science. encourage others in the United States to make The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and analogous commitments.” the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF) Vicki L. Chandler, a former ASPB president who have named 15 of the country’s most innovative is GBMF chief program officer for science, said that plant scientists as HHMI-GBMF Investigators. the sponsors “believe the research will generate high- These 15 plant scientists—all of whom are ASPB impact discoveries with implications for a range of members—will share $75 million in flexible support intertwined concerns facing society: food production, from HHMI and GBMF over the next five years. human health, protection of the environment, and The two organizations formed their collabora- identification of renewable energy resources.” With tion because of concerns that basic plant science plant science at the center of so many contemporary research has been historically underfunded in national and international priorities, HHMI and the United States. HHMI President Robert Tjian GBMF felt that the time was right to make strategic in- explained that “we think the creation of our joint vestments to fuel discoveries that have a major impact. program underscores the importance of investing continued on page 14 The ASPB News is delivered online as well as in print. Members will be alerted by e-mail when a new issue is posted. The ASPB News welcomes member feedback. Contact the editor at [email protected]. ASPB Executive Committee & Staff CONTENTS
President Nicholas Carpita 765-494-4653 President-elect Steven C. Huber 217-265-0909 Immediate Past President Tuan-hua David Ho 314-935-4632 ASPB Members Elected to 2011 Class 1 Secretary Judy Callis 530-752-1015 of National Academy of Sciences Treasurer Jonathan Monroe 540-568-6649 HHMI and GBMF Name 15 ASPB Chair, Board of Trustees Mary Lou Guerinot 603-646-2527 Members as Investigators Chair, Publications Committee Sally Mackenzie 402-472-6997 Chair, Women in Plant Biology Committee Marta Laskowski 440-775-6596 Chair, Minority Affairs Committee MariaElena B. Zavala 818-677-3342 4 President’s Letter Chair, Education Committee Erin Dolan 540-231-2692 Chair, International Committee Leon V. Kochian 607-255-2454 Chair, Membership Committee Mel Oliver 573-882-9645 5 Northeastern Section Meets at University of New Hampshire Chair, Committee on Public Affairs Richard Sayre 314-587-1437 Elected Members Gloria Muday 336-758-5316 Katherine W. Osteryoung 517-355-4685 9 People Marguerite Varagona 636-737-6394 Sectional Representatives Midwestern John Kiss 513-529-5428 21 Membership Corner Northeastern Estelle Hrabak 603-862-0716 Southern Timothy D. Sherman 251-460-7529 23 Public Affairs Update Mid-Atlantic Zhongchi Liu 301-405-1586 Western David Logan 306-966-4409
26 ASPB Education Forum Executive director Crispin Taylor, ext. 115 [email protected] Executive and governance affairs manager Donna Gordon, ext. 131 [email protected] 31 New Staff Assoc. director of finance & administration Kim Kimnach, ext. 140 [email protected] Accounts receivable specialist Stephanie Liu-Kuan, ext. 143 [email protected] Junior accountant Jotee Pundu, ext. 144 [email protected] Director of meetings, marketing, & membership Jean Rosenberg, ext. 110 [email protected] Deadline for November/December 2011 Membership, meetings, & marketing specialist Shoshana Kronfeld, ext. 122 [email protected] ASPB News: October 5, 2011 Subscriptions manager Suzanne Cholwek, ext. 141 [email protected] Subscriptions assistant Linda Palmer, ext. 142 [email protected] Director of public affairs Adam Fagen, ext. 114 [email protected] Plant science policy fellow Kathy Munkvold, ext. 121 [email protected] Education foundation coordinator Katie Engen, ext. 116 [email protected] Director of publications Nancy A. Winchester, ext. 117 [email protected] Publications assistant Diane McCauley, ext. 133 [email protected] Managing editor Patti Lockhart, ext. 119 [email protected] Science writer, Plant Physiology Peter Minorsky, 845-878-4570 [email protected] Production manager, Plant Physiology Jon Munn, ext. 130 [email protected] Manuscript manager, Plant Physiology Leslie (Ash) Csikos, ext. 125 [email protected] Senior features editor, The Plant Cell Nancy Eckardt, 970-495-9918 [email protected] Features editor, The Plant Cell Mary Williams, +44-141-339-4960 [email protected] Production manager, The Plant Cell Susan Entwistle, ext. 118 [email protected] Manuscript manager, The Plant Cell Annette Kessler, ext. 120 [email protected]
ASPB News is distributed to all ASPB members and is published six times ASPB News annually, in odd-numbered months. It is edited and prepared by ASPB staff from material provided by ASPB members and other interested Headquarters Office parties. 15501 Monona Drive Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA Copy deadline is the 5th day of the preceding even-numbered month Phone: 301-251-0560 (for example, December 5 for January/February publication). Submit Fax: 301-279-2996 copy by e-mail whenever possible; submit all other copy by mail, not by fax. [email protected] Contact: Nancy A. Winchester, Editor, ASPB News, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA; [email protected]; 301-296-0904. © 2011 American Society of Plant Biologists G_`c`gj>i\\eGfn\iC<;jdXb\pflic`^_ki\Z`g\jnfib @dgifm\^ifnk_Xe[jXm\\e\i^p
>fc[9`fk\Z_efcf^p L%J%I\^`jkiXk`feEf*#),.#0). #>fc[Y`f L%J%I\^`jkiXk`feEf*#),.#0)- Xe[>9K L%J%I\^`jkiXk`feEf*#),/#'.* Xi\i\^`jk\i\[kiX[\dXibjf]>fc[9`fk\Z_efcf^p#@eZ%G?@C@GJ`jXi\^`jk\i\[kiX[\dXibf]Bfe`ebc`ab\G_`c`gj ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 3 • 3 President’s Letter Plants and Bioenergy “…cell walls are an enormously dent’s interest in plant research synthases; Chris Somerville, who champi- important source of economi- could be fostered specifically in oned Arabidopsis as a genetic model for cell cally important raw material. energy-related disciplines. Some wall research; and Ken Keegstra, who focused Examples include the modifica- six years later, the PRL was sited on the biosynthesis of xyloglucan. Ken was a tion of pectin cross-linking or at MSU, and among the legend- postdoc in the lab of another giant in ASPB, cell–cell adhesion to increase ary ASPB members who became Peter Albersheim, whose AEC-funded group, shelf life of fruits and vegeta- its first faculty was the renowned now the Complex Carbohydrate Research bles, the enhancement of biochemist Joe Varner, who Center in Georgia, proposed the first mo- dietary fiber contents of cereals, cloned the first gene that en- lecular model of the plant cell wall in 1973. the improvement of yield and coded a cell wall protein. Resources for alternative energy research Nick Carpita quality of fibers, and the relative The OPEC oil embargo of quintupled during the Carter administration allocation of carbon to wall biomass for 1973 was a call to action that a petroleum- (2). However, with the crash of the oil mar- biofuels.” [italics added] based economy was dangerous for en- ket in the 1980s, the subsequent administra- Written in 1980, these lines are from the ergy—and, indeed, national—security, if that tion deemed the programs, which Carter abstract of one of my first grant proposals economy was based on imported sources. Al- envisioned as critical for U.S. future prosper- to the Department of Energy (DOE). What though the embargo ended a year later, huge ity and energy independence, unnecessary might sound particularly prescient today increases in gasoline prices continued after expenditures. Funding plummeted to pre- is actually quite far from it. For the past 30 President Jimmy Carter, himself a student Carter levels, and the policy initiatives for years or so, such a rationale could be found of nuclear engineering, came into office. In promoting a domestic bioenergy industry all in every plant biologist’s research proposal to response, Carter created the Energy Research but disappeared. But among the leadership study the structure and synthesis of the plant and Development Administration (ERDA) at DOE were those who steadfastly champi- cell wall. This was particularly ingrained in that a year later organized into a full-fledged oned the basic biology of plants as funda- many of us who were part of the mental to alternate energy solu- DOE Plant Research Lab (PRL) tions, and they stood behind on the campus of Michigan State its key institutions. The Basic University (MSU). Energy Sciences (BES) program The DOE was supporting of DOE generated competi- bioenergy research long before tive grants of its own, funding it was called the Department substantial areas of plant and of Energy. Indeed, the history microbial research devoted of the PRL traces back to 1959 to the understanding of how when, in the wake of increased biomass is made and how it funding for basic research upon is degraded and fermented to the Soviet Union’s launching of ethanol and other useful fuels. Sputnik, a select committee of The DOE Office of Science plant biologists was convened The PRL’s first faculty, 1966. From left to right: Phil Filner, Peter Wolk, urged certain national labs, like by the Atomic Energy Commis- Joe Varner, Jan Zeevaardt, John Scandalios, Hans Kende, Anton Brookhaven and Oak Ridge, to sion (AEC) to review the plant Lang (director), Lloyd Wilson, and Derek Lamport. develop bioenergy programs. research programs supported by The Solar Energy Research In- its Division of Biology and Medicine. The government agency, the DOE. In a single stitute (SERI) began operations in 1977, and AEC considered research with plants central year, the MSU–AEC lab became the MSU– its activities extended beyond research and to its mission but was deeply concerned ERDA lab and then the MSU–DOE Plant development in solar energy to include H2 about the state of plant science, which it Research Lab. The PRL began to hire faculty production by plants and ethanol produc- perceived as falling behind other disciplines more directly involved with advancing basic tion from biomass. In 1991, SERI became (1). One recommendation was to develop energy sciences. Noted cell wall researchers the National Renewable Energy Laboratory centers of excellence in association with one would join the PRL, such as Debby Delmer, (NREL), establishing centers of research or more land grant institutions, where a stu- who discovered genes that encode cellulose continued on page 6 4 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 Northeastern Section Meets at University of New Hampshire The 75th annual meeting of the Northeastern Section of ASPB was held at the University of New Hampshire on May 6–7, 2011. The meeting, organized by Estelle Hrabak (Uni- versity of New Hampshire), drew more than 80 attendees from across the region, ranging from New York City to northern Vermont. The meeting began with a minisympo- sium titled, “Next Generation Plant Biology.” Symposium guest speakers were Rob Last (Michigan State University), “Hairy Genom- ics: Biochemical Genomics of Glandular Trichomes in Tomato”; Nengyi Zhang from Ed Buckler’s group (Cornell University), (from left) Undergraduates Afaf Halo, Kiryl Montano, and “Genetic Dissection of Carbon and Nitrogen Anna Banach from SUNY- Metabolism in Maize”; and Ann Loraine Plattsburgh in front of their (University of North Carolina at Charlotte), poster entitled “Melatonin Reversal of Light-Driven Cell “Regulation of Alternative Splicing under Expansion in Chlamydomo- Abiotic Stress in Arabidopsis.” The mini- nas: V-ATPase Requirement.” symposium was followed by a poster session Research sponsors are Janice Marchut Conrad and Peter with 43 presentations and a banquet with Conrad. musical entertainment by a jazz quartet. The meeting continued on Saturday morning with six platform presentations on topics that included mechanisms of toler- ance to abiotic stresses, micropropagation in mist bioreactors, T-DNA transfer in Agro- (above) Rob Last (Michigan State bacterium, and the effects of iron limitation University), symposium speaker, talks on photosynthesis in chlorophyte algae. The with Lise Mahoney, doctoral student conference concluded with a business meet- with Tom Davis at University of New Hampshire, about her poster on genes ing and book raffle. T involved in fruit pigmentation in Estelle Hrabak strawberry (Fragaria). University of New Hampshire (left) Symposium speaker Rob Last (Michigan State University) chats with Pam Weathers from Worcester Poly- technic Institute in Massachusetts. Over 50 Years of Plant Physiology Available Anyone interested in old issues of Plant Physiology dating from 1949–2001 should contact Jim Ehleringer at [email protected]. ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 5 President’s Letter crops (5), and Rick Amasino through the BES program, continued from page 4 wrote twice on the urgency of which he led for many years, and development expertise in renewable addressing climate change and and inspired in the leader- electricity, renewable fuels, integrated energy the role of bioenergy crops in ship that followed to this day. systems, and strategic energy analysis (3). its mitigation (6). Rob McClung Winner of ASPB’s Gude Prize NREL provided a path to commercializa- covered the potential downside in 1986 for his leadership, tion through construction and performance of bioenergy cropping sys- Bob is also an inaugural ASPB evaluation of production-scale facilities. tems, the problems of ethanol Fellow. Through a generous From the late 1970s onward, academic and production from corn grain, contribution that Bob and his private centers and hundreds of individual and the impact of indirect land wife, Eileen, made to ASPB, investigators received consistent support for use issues on global food supply and with the added support of research on the basic understanding of the (7); Sally Assmann followed Bob Rabson the many ASPB friends whose biochemistry and genetics of plant processes. with the benefits of perennial careers he fostered, we are For all plant biologists, the impact of grasses and sustainable crop- happy to announce this year DOE extended well beyond energy research ping systems (8). the creation of the biennial Robert Rabson in the formation of the Joint Genome Insti- The fruits of these investments are begin- Award, an honor for exceptional contribu- tute under the direction of the Biological and ning to show, but DOE is not done. With tions to the field of bioenergy by a young Environmental Research program in the Of- renewed commitment to a green energy investigator. fice of Science. Partnerships with the USDA economy from the Obama administration But where has all this support brought us aim to integrate and implement the promise and boosted by funds resulting from the today? Have DOE’s 50-year investments in of an agroenergy economy into rural com- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act bioenergy research brought us closer to en- munities. Although the USDA and NSF of 2009, DOE’s Office of Science realized ergy independence? Probably, but the impact have provided critical support in basic and the long-held desire to advance all alterna- is not yet realized in a flourishing biofuels applied plant biology, the Office of Science at tive energy programs. Four of the 46 funded industry that displaces significant quantities DOE has had a unique role in funding use- centers are focused specifically on bioenergy of imported oil. The investments are large inspired discovery–grand challenge science to probe the molecular structure of cell walls, by the standards we have learned to accept in application to the real-world problem of develop algal biofuels, move toward biomi- for plant biology research dollars, but they energy security. metic and artificial photosynthesis, and use are small in the grander scheme. Indeed, the Despite this long history, few plant biolo- chemical and thermal catalysis to convert total investment in energy sciences is less gists had heard of switchgrass until it was biomass directly to energy-dense “drop-in” than 2% of the national research budget. We mentioned by President George W. Bush in biofuels more like gasoline in molecular have sufficient annual biomass and the paths his 2006 State of the Union address. A DOE composition. to conversion to reach the congressionally workshop report “Breaking the Biological Through feast and famine, plant biology mandated goal of 36 billion gallons of re- Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol” had just been had a champion at DOE who engineered newable liquid biofuel per year by 2022 (9). published (4), and the Energy Independence this development, from the promotion of The remarkable advances in plant genomics and Security Act of 2007 signaled a renewal the AEC PRL through to the competitive and genetics of the past decade give deserved of serious attention toward plants as sources grants program and other centers of excel- optimism for continued improvements in of renewable energy. We had to step up our lence that fostered energy research in plants. food and feed crops, as well as high-yielding, game and apply plant and microbial systems That champion was Bob Rabson. Bob saw low-input new crops designed as energy approaches to increase the pace of discov- development of a sustained and vibrant crops that can push yields much further. ery. Funding like nobody had seen before in community through DOE as an essential Scientists are working on many solutions, plant biology was committed, such as $125 strategy to drive the science of bioenergy. from algae to grasses to trees. As former million to establish three centers combin- His philosophy was to provide innovative USDA Undersecretary Gale Buchanan (and ing academia and DOE National Labs for individuals with a continuity of funding others) put it, “…we can’t hope to accom- systems approaches to optimize plants and collectively needed to protect the larger mis- plish this with a silver bullet—we’ll need microbes used in biological conversion sion. For me, his philosophy was captured silver buckshot…”(10). But the financial routes from biomass to biofuels. Presidents best when he said, “I like to think that DOE stakes are so high that researchers are often of ASPB began writing about bioenergy in is different because we fund people, not pro- too quick to explain why their bullet is supe- the newsletter. Mike Thomashow wrote about posals.” Much of what is being done today in rior to everyone else’s. For all technologies, how our new genomic resources could be advancing basic bioenergy research we owe a “reality check” is necessary to emphasize put to use in the development of bioenergy to the foundational support Bob provided the implementation bottlenecks that need to 6 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 be overcome. Oil production from economy, a jobless recovery from algae seems a reasonable path to recession, a time of world disorder, a high-density “drop-in” fuel, but one filled with threats of terror- the production capacity and water ism and instability in the Middle demands involved need substan- East (16)—an uncanny reflection tial improvement (11). Perennial of today. Kennedy vowed that “… grasses are touted as the optimal this nation should commit itself high-yield, low-input solution for to achieving the goal, before this a bioenergy crop. However, their decade is out, of landing a man on superior qualities for low input the moon and returning him safely are compared to grain corn, and Figure 1. In the long view of recent human history, oil to the earth.” I was an 11-year-old annual crops like tropical maize production will be a narrow window (14). school kid growing up 100 miles and sorghum are equally high from Cape Canaveral when Ken- yielding and low input but provide nedy spoke those words to Con- huge benefits to growers who can fit them that, for the most part, doesn’t use oil but gress. To my generation, this was going to into sustainable rotation and use the same wants to. Liquid fuel for personal vehicles is be a great adventure that, without question, harvesting equipment (12). The infrastruc- today’s luxury of rich and emerging nations. would succeed. But I also recall that for the ture already in place in the Midwest creates It isn’t a matter of whether bioenergy and all most part, our parents scoffed—pursuing a the likely launch region for the bioenergy other forms of carbon-neutral energy will be wild dream that couldn’t possibly be realized agroeconomy, but “food versus fuel,” life able to replace petroleum, but when, how, was surely a waste of tax dollars at a time of cycle analyses, and indirect land use issues and to what extent. such an uncertain economy. cloud investment (13). However, we have We could have learned much from Brazil. The precipitous decline of oil as our no option but to move forward and muddle In response to the rise in oil prices in the major energy resource is our new “Sputnik through, contributing our expertise for the wake of the OPEC oil embargo, Brazil re- moment” and demands a “Project Apollo” necessary solutions. vived a 50-year-old mandate to develop etha- response. Sadly, too many among that If our past experience in the chronicles of nol from sugarcane—not without fits and inspired Apollo generation are now ques- human culture and behavior are a measure, starts, such as the corrosion problems and tioning the impact that bioenergy will have our prospects are gloomy. Humans have inability to run on gasoline that doomed the and are deriding the “waste” of tax dollars been using wood for energy and construc- Pro-Álcool cars that immediately followed spent in developing a green economy. But tion since we were H. erectus, and wood to commercial failure. Determined, the bioenergy will indeed succeed as a major and biomass are still the principal form of Brazilians pushed on to advance the technol- contributor to our sustainable future. Today’s energy for developing countries. Throughout ogy of alternative fuel vehicles. Flex-fuel new generation of kids know it is achievable human society, wood has been the essential vehicles, which can run on any combination because it has to be. The prospects of failure resource, not only for fuel, but also for con- of gasoline or ethanol, were introduced and are too dim. T struction of fishing boats and vast armadas. strongly promoted in 2003. Ironically, a great In his engaging book Life Without Oil (14), many of them were built in partnership with References Steve Hallett documents many examples American companies, and these vehicles 1. History of the Plant Research Laboratory: where, despite the reliance of a people on brought Brazil to liquid fuel energy indepen- The beginnings (1965–1978). http://www. wood for their survival, from the Polynesians dence (15). Over 90% of Brazilian cars today prl.msu.edu/PRL%20History/History.pdf. of Easter Island to the Roman Empire, they are flex-fuel. Today, self-sufficiency in energy 2. Origins and evolution of the Department consumed this valuable resource to their plays a large role in Brazil being second only of Energy. http://www.energy.gov/about/ own societal collapse. The slope of change to China in economic growth. origins.htm. was shallow enough over a single generation One can’t help but think back on that 3. Himmel, M.E. (2009). Corn stover conver- to mask the inevitable, but consumption original “Sputnik moment,” that wakeup sion to biofuels: DOE’s preparation for continued unabated even when the inevi- call that U.S. complacency had allowed the readiness in 2012. Cellulose 16: 531-534. table could be foreseen. According to Hallett, country to slip as the world’s technology 4. Department of Energy. (2005). Breaking the in the larger view, the consumption of oil leader. At a recent DOE Energy Frontiers biological barriers to cellulosic ethanol: A will be an anomaly, a strange blip in human Summit, Secretary Steven Chu reminded us joint research agenda. http://genomic- existence (Figure 1). Unfortunately, this blip of the 50th anniversary of President John F. science.energy.gov/biofuels/b2bworkshop. is peaking just at the inflection point of the Kennedy’s call to action in his first State of shtml. exponential growth of a human population the Union address. It was a time of a troubled continued on page 22 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 7 Next year in Austin! JoinJoin your your colleagues colleagues at at PlantPlant Biology Biology 2012 inin Austin, Austin,Texas Texas, onon July July 20 20–24 - 24 Visit aspb.org/plantbiology2012 for more information. http://www.aspb.org People Members in the News Stay up-to-date on plant science and ASPB members in the news by following ASPB’s new Plants in the News Blog (http://www.aspb.org/ plantsinthenews) and by following ASPB on Facebook (http://facebook.com/myASPB) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/ASPB). Jo Ann (Jody) Banks was the Advancement of Science. featured on the May 5 episode She received ASPB’s Charles of National Public Radio’s All Albert Shull Award for Things Considered discussing young investigators in 1995 her work on the evolution and has served as associate of plants and their vascular editor for Plant Physiology. systems (http://n.pr/jYrIRV). Samuel Hazen has been She was the lead author on the selected to receive an Early genome sequence of Selagi- Career Research Award from nella, which was published by the Department of Energy Science in early May (http:// Office of Science (http://bit. Jody Banks Robert Blankenship Joanne Chory bit.ly/iwlAr9). Selaginella ly/iE4h3F). These five-year not only is one of the first plants to develop academy of sciences (http://bit.ly/lBZIIb). awards are designed to bolster the nation’s a vascular system to transport water and Fellows and foreign members are elected scientific workforce by providing support to nutrients inside the plant, its genome also for life on the basis of scientific excellence; exceptional researchers during the crucial suggests it may be a potential source of new those elected include Isaac Newton, Charles early career years, when many scientists do secondary metabolites, which can have Darwin, Albert Einstein, Dorothy Hodgkin, their most formative work. Sam was one important uses in a variety of areas. Jody is and Stephen Hawking. Joanne pioneered of 65 scientists selected from a pool of about professor of botany and plant pathology at the analysis of 1,150 applicants Purdue University. She is coeditor for The plant responses to at universities and Plant Cell. their environment national labora- Robert Blankenship is quoted in a using a molecular tories across the May 12 article in Scientific American about genetic approach country. He is measuring whether plants or photovoltaics in Arabidopsis assistant profes- are better at capturing solar energy (http:// and has helped sor of biology at bit.ly/md4lCw). The article is motivated by understand how the University of a review published in Science on May 13 plants grow and Massachusetts authored by a team led by Bob that includes develop, how they Amherst. several other ASPB members (http://bit.ly/ perceive light, Norman iLxvH7). They conclude that photovoltaic- and how chloro- Samuel Hazen Norman Lewis Lewis was elected driven electrolysis is more efficient than plasts signal to as a correspond- natural photosynthesis when measured the nucleus, among other discoveries. She is ing fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, annually but speculate that synthetic biology a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investi- Scotland’s national academy (http://bit.ly/ might be used to enhance photosynthesis for gator as well as the Howard H. and Maryam jRVXz4). He joins more than 1,500 mem- improved solar energy conversion efficiency. R. Newman Chair and professor and direc- bers, including 61 corresponding fellows, Bob is the Lucille P. Markey Distinguished tor of the Plant Molecular and Cellular who have “attained high international stand- Professor of Arts and Sciences and director of Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for ing in any subject within our disciplinary the Photosynthetic Antenna Research Cen- Biological Studies. She is also a member of domains, and who are not normally resident ter at Washington University in St. Louis. He the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the in the UK.” received ASPB’s Charles F. Kettering Award German National Academy of Sciences, and Just a week later, Norman became a U.S. for excellence in photosynthesis in 2008. the French Académie des Sciences. She is a citizen, as described in a May 25 article in Joanne Chory has been elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and The Spokesman Review of Spokane, Wash- foreign member of the Royal Society, the UK’s Sciences and the American Association for continued on page 10 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 9 People Members in the News continued from page 9 ington (http://bit. ly/mKYbUK). He was quoted as say- ing, “We’ve had a wonderful time here. We’ve been able to do research on plant biology . . . . It’s a great privilege Ove Nilsson Hugh Nimmo to be a citizen in this country.” genetics. Her labora- Ottoline Leyser and Elliot Meyerowitz His lab conducts tory used positional research on the metabolism of phenylpro- Arabidopsis. She was previously profes- cloning to isolate the panoids, with a particular emphasis toward sor of plant developmental genetics at first pattern recognition understanding vascular plant cell wall the University of York. She is a fellow of receptor and submer- formation. Norman, who emigrated from the Royal Society and a member of the gence-tolerance gene, Scotland in 1985, is Regents Professor and European Molecular Biology Organiza- both of which have director of the Institute of Biological Chem- tion and was appointed Commander of been used by breeders istry at Washington State University. He is a the Order of the British Empire in 2009. to develop disease- member of ASPB’s Public Affairs Committee Ove Nilsson was quoted in an April resistant and submer- gence-tolerant crop and a former monitoring editor for Plant 4 article in The Washington Post about Pamela Ronald Physiology. why trees bloom when they do (http:// varieties. Joining her on Elliot Meyerowitz is the inaugural direc- wapo.st/lesG70). Although flower buds flush the Fast Company list is a diverse group of tor and Ottoline Leyser is the first associ- in the spring, flower initiation and develop- individuals, including the chief architect of ate director of the Sainsbury Laboratory at ment actually occur during the previous the iPhone software; White House chef Sam the University of Cambridge, UK. The new summer, controlled by the production of FT Kass; and television personalities Conan facility in the heart of the university’s Botanic protein based on hours of sunlight. The ar- O’Brien, Tina Fey, and Oprah Winfrey. Gardens was officially opened by Her Majesty ticle was motivated by the annual explosion Pam is professor of plant pathology at Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edin- of cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. Ove the University of California, Davis, and vice burgh on April 27 (http://bit.ly/m5UDCg). is a professor in the Swedish University of president of feedstocks for the Joint Bio- The laboratory will eventually house 120 Agricultural Sciences Department of Forest energy Institute. She is coauthor, with her scientists working to elucidate the regulatory Genetics and Plant Physiology at the Umeå husband, an organic farmer, of Tomorrow’s systems underlying plant development. Plant Science Centre in Sweden. Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Elliot studies the genetics of flowering Hugh Nimmo was elected as a fellow of Future of Food, which was praised by Bill plants and has cloned many genes associ- the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s Gates as “a fantastic piece of work.” She blogs ated with flower development and hormone national academy, joining more than 1,500 at Tomorrow’s Table (http://bit.ly/a0WDyc). receptors. He is the George W. Beadle Pro- members (http://bit.ly/jRVXz4). He works Pam is a former member of ASPB’s Public fessor of Biology at the California Institute on the biochemistry and physiology of Affairs Committee and served as a monitor- of Technology and a member of the National circadian clocks and outputs, particularly in ing editor for Plant Physiology. Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society, the Arabidopsis. These clocks affect agronomi- Paul Williams was one of the “notable American Academy of Arts and Sciences, cally important traits such as flowering and college-level educator-researchers” inter- and the American Philosophical Society. He tuberisation. Hugh is professor of plant viewed for the May 2011 issue of The Scientist is a fellow of ASPB and received the Society’s biochemistry at the University of Glasgow. for “tips on how to make teaching more Martin Gibbs Medal in 1995. Pamela Ronald has been named by Fast enjoyable and effective” while leaving time Ottoline studies the role of plant hormones Company magazine as one of the 100 Most for your research (http://bit.ly/r7H1Ew). He in plant developmental plasticity, especially Creative People in Business 2011 (http://bit. developed a rapid-cycling Brassica for his the hormonal control of shoot branching in ly/l4ypPh). She was cited for her work in rice research on disease-resistant vegetables and 10 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 People then realized that be a “conductor” on research to study the genes responsible for it would be useful of learning rather making corn rich in the precursors to vitamin for teaching about than a sage on the A, enabling genetic tests for the most nutri- plants and biology. stage. Paul is pro- tious corn (http://nydn.us/iFawLe). The article The resulting fessor emeritus of follows from an effort to designate sweet corn educational pro- plant pathology as the official vegetable of New York State. Elli, gram—Wisconsin at the University who oversees the only research cornfield in Fast Plants—has of Wisconsin– New York City, is professor of biological sci- been utilized Madison, where ences at Lehman College of the City Univer- in thousands of he also served as sity of New York. She is a monitoring editor classrooms around the first director for Plant Physiology and a former member of Paul Williams Elli Wurtzel the world and of the Center for ASPB’s Minority Affairs Committee. T has even flown on Biology Education. He received ASPB’s inau- Compiled by Adam P. Fagen, PhD the Space Shuttle. Paul is quoted as say- gural Excellence in Teaching Award in 1991. ASPB Public Affairs Director ing that student engagement with research Eleanore (Elli) Wurtzel is featured in a materials “is associated with a measure of May 16 article in the New York Daily News responsibility and uncertainty that heightens awareness” about the scientific process and Do you have news to share with the ASPB community? forces students to “investigate the questions Please let us know by e-mailing [email protected]. themselves,” which allows the instructor to ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 11 People 2011 Class of NAS Steve received ASPB’s Charles A. Shull basis of aneuploid syndromes, the molecular continued from page 1 Award in 2009 and was named a fellow of basis of heterosis, the structure and behavior 2011 Members from ASPB the American Association for the Advance- of chromosomes and centromeres in maize, ment of Science (AAAS) in 2004. He also plant engineered minichromosomes, and Steven E. Jacobsen received a Searle Scholar Award and a Beck- the consequences of dosage-sensitive gene Howard Hughes Medical Institute and man Young Investigator Award in 2000. He regulatory mechanisms in multicellular University of California, Los Angeles became an HHMI Investigator in 2005. eukaryotes in general. Steven E. Jacob- sen is a Howard James A. Birchler 2011 Foreign Associate from ASPB Hughes Medical University of Missouri–Columbia Institute Investi- James A. Birchler is Jiayang Li gator and profes- Curators’ Professor Institute of Genetics and Developmental sor of molecular, of Biological Sciences Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences cell, and devel- at the University of Jiayang Li has opmental biology Missouri–Columbia. been a professor at the University After obtaining a BS at the Institute of California, Los in botany and zool- of Genetics and Angeles (UCLA). ogy from Eastern Developmental He completed his BS at California Polytech- Illinois University, he pursued graduate Biology in the nic State University, San Luis Obispo, and study in genetics and biochemistry at Indi- Chinese Academy his PhD in plant biology at the University ana University, earning his PhD in 1977 for of Sciences (CAS) of Minnesota. He conducted postdoctoral research on maize genetics. He performed since 1995. Jiayang research at the California Institute of Tech- postdoctoral work at Oak Ridge National earned his PhD nology before moving to UCLA in 1998. Lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Roswell Park in biology from Steve said, “I was surprised and greatly Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York; and Brandeis University in 1991, an MS in biol- honored to receive the congratulatory ear- the University of California, Berkeley. The ogy from the Institute of Genetics in CAS ly morning phone calls from Sue Wessler, focus of this work was on dosage compen- in 1984, and a BS in agronomy from Anhui Jim Carrington, and several colleagues. I sation and dosage effects in Drosophila. Agricultural College in 1981. He completed am still floating on air! I have been very He was assistant and associate professor at postdoctoral research at the Boyce Thompson fortunate in having two great mentors, Harvard University beginning in 1985 and Institute for Plant Research. Jiayang was Neil Olszewski from the University of joined the faculty at the University of Mis- elected a CAS Academician in 2001 and a Minnesota and Elliot Meyerowitz from souri in 1991. fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Caltech. I also owe much of the honor James serves on the editorial boards of Developing World (TWAS) in 2004. He also to the fantastic postdocs and graduate The Plant Cell, Genetics, BioMed Central serves as president of the Genetics Society of students whom I have had the pleasure of Plant Biology, Tropical Plant Biology, GM China. working with at UCLA.” Crops, Journal of Genetics and Genomics, The Jiayang lab is seeking to under- The Jacobsen lab applies genetic, bio- Molecular Biotechnology, Journal of Biomedi- stand the molecular mechanisms under- chemical, and genomic techniques to the cine and Biotechnology, Genomic Insights, lying rice plant architecture by studying study of DNA methylation and epigenetic McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Tech- genes that control rice tiller numbers, gene silencing in Arabidopsis. Much of the nology, PLoS One, Frontiers in Plant Genetics tiller angle, plant height, panicle size, and work started with the study of a peculiar set and Genomics, Maydica, and Annual Review culm strength. The lab is also working of heritable epigenetic mutations that affect of Genetics. He is a fellow of AAAS and toward the molecular design of super rice flower development or flowering time. These has served on the council of the American with ideal properties, such as high yield, epialleles have been used in classical forward Genetic Association. good quality, nutrient use efficiency, and genetics to define the machinery that estab- Research interests of the Birchler labora- resistance to stresses, by pyramiding the lishes and maintains DNA methylation and tory include mechanisms of gene silencing desired properties through molecular gene silencing. The lab has also developed in Drosophila, the mechanism of dosage marker-assisted selection and transgenic techniques for whole genome analysis of compensation in Drosophila, gene expres- approaches. DNA methylation patterning. sion in polyploids of maize, the molecular continued on page 19 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 13 People HHMI and GBMF Association for the Advancement of Sci- continued from page 1 ence (AAAS). He served ASPB as monitor- The new HHMI-GBMF Investigators ing editor and associate editor for Plant were selected on the basis of individual Physiology. scientific excellence from a group of 239 applicants. HHMI is known for supporting Dominique Bergmann “people, not projects,” investing in visionary Stanford University researchers rather than specific projects. Dominique Bergmann studies the plant Each HHMI-GBMF Investigator will receive stomata as a way of asking questions about an initial five-year appointment to HHMI, development and stem cells that would beginning in September 2011, and the sup- be difficult—if not impossible—to ask in Philip Benfey. Photo by Jim Bounds/AP, © HHMI. port to develop their research in creative animals. She is especially interested in new directions. Investigators will continue to asymmetric cell division since plants use a be based at their host institution and retain different mechanism than animals. She looks their faculty position, but HHMI will pro- forward to studying stomata development in vide full salary and benefits to the investiga- a variety of organisms, especially grasses. tors with research support coming from both Dominique is assistant professor of biol- HHMI and GBMF. ogy at Stanford University and an associ- These new HHMI-GBMF Investigators ate of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell will join nearly 340 existing HHMI Inves- Biology and Regenerative Medicine. This tigators, of whom 13 have received Nobel past year she received a Presidential Early Prizes and more than 140 have been elected Career Award in Science and Engineering to membership in the National Academy of (see the January/February 2011 issue of the Sciences. The HHMI-GBMF Investigators ASPB News). She received ASPB’s Charles Dominique Bergmann. Photo by Tony Avelar/ will be eligible for additional five-year terms AP, © HHMI. Albert Shull Award in 2010, which recog- after a successful scientific review. nizes young researchers, and will deliver Three other plant scientists—each of whom is an ASPB member—currently her award lecture at Plant Biology 2011 in serve as HHMI Investigators: Joanne Minneapolis. She has also served as a mentor Chory (Salk Institute for Biological Stud- for ASPB’s Summer Undergraduate Research ies), Joseph P. Noel (Salk Institute), and Fellowship (SURF) program. Steven Jacobsen (University of California, Simon Chan Los Angeles). University of California, Davis HHMI-GBMF Investigators Simon Chan studies chromosomal inheri- tance and only began working on plants as Philip N. Benfey a postdoc. His work on the centromere Simon Chan. P Hoto BY Steve Yeater/AP, © HHMI. Duke University identified an easy way to create Arabidopsis Philip Benfey studies how plants control plants that contain genetic materials from the form and function of their root systems only one of their parents. The next step is to using the Arabidopsis model system. In extend this work to crop plants such as to- addition to identifying key genes that guide mato, cabbage, and canola. He has also been root development, his laboratory has cre- working to understand the DNA sequences ated several technologies for tracking gene at the centromere and their potential role in expression and root growth patterns. speciation. Philip is the Paul Kramer Professor of Simon is assistant professor of plant biol- Biology at Duke University and director ogy at the University of California, Davis. He of the Duke Center for Systems Biology. received ASPB’s Early Career Award in 2006 He is a member of the National Academy and has served as a mentor for the Society’s Xuemei Chen. Photo by Carlos Puma/AP, © HHMI. of Sciences and a fellow of the American SURF program. 14 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 People Xuemei Chen ing the relationship between DNA damage University of California, Riverside repair and plant defense. Xuemei Chen studies the stem cells that give Xinnian is an arts and sciences professor rise to flowers and how undifferentiated cells at Duke University. She is a coeditor for The acquire their fates. She discovered that floral Plant Cell and previously served as a moni- development is controlled not only at the toring editor for Plant Physiology. level of gene transcription, but also by regu- Jorge Dubcovsky lation of protein production. Her lab also University of California, Davis works on microRNAs, especially focusing on Jorge Dubcovsky has worked to improve Jeffery Dangl. Photo by Jim Bounds/AP, © HHMI. their inhibitory effect on translation. Xuemei is professor of plant cell and mo- wheat, especially by boosting the grain’s lecular biology at the University of Califor- protein, zinc, and iron content to make it nia, Riverside. She received ASPB’s Charles more nutritious; this is especially important Albert Shull Award in 2006 and has served since 20% of what every person around the as a monitoring editor for Plant Physiology. world eats is wheat. His work is helping to understand critical stages of wheat plant Jeffery Dangl development, such as flowering time, which University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can help breed varieties that are matched to Jeff Dangl is a leader in studying plant im- the climate and local environment. munity and helped developed Arabidopsis Jorge is professor of plant sciences at Xinnian Dong. Photo by Jim Bounds/AP, © HHMI. into a model for studying plant–pathogen the University of California, Davis. He is a defense. He identified plant receptors that fellow of AAAS and received ASPB’s Dennis guard key host proteins and mount an im- R. Hoagland Award in 2009 for outstanding mune attack when damaged. Similar such plant research in support of agriculture. receptors have been identified across living systems, from sea urchins to humans. In ad- Joseph R. Ecker dition to continuing this work on pathogen Salk Institute for Biological Studies defense, Jeff will also explore how plants Joe Ecker was an early leader in the effort to influence the microbial communities that sequence the Arabidopsis genome, and in live in association with their roots. 2008 he helped launch the 1001 Genomes Jorge Dubcovsky. Photo by Steve Yeater/AP, © HHMI. Jeff is the John N. Couch Professor of project, which will sequence 1,001 natural Biology at the University of North Carolina strains of Arabidopsis around the world. He at Chapel Hill, a member of the National has more recently been trying to decipher Academy of Sciences, a foreign member the epigenome that controls gene activity of the German Academy of Science, and a and has found similar methylation patterns fellow of AAAS. He received ASPB’s Stephen in humans and plants. Hales Prize in 2009 and has served as a men- Joe is a professor in the Plant Molecular tor for the Society’s SURF program. and Cellular Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He is a mem- Xinnian Dong ber of the National Academy of Sciences Joseph Ecker. Photo by Denis Poroy/AP, © HHMI. Duke University and received ASPB’s Martin Gibbs Medal in Xinnian Dong works to understand plant 2005. He also served as a monitoring editor immunity and uncover the detailed mecha- for Plant Physiology. nisms of plant–pathogen defense. She identi- fied a signaling gene that helps promulgate an Mark Estelle immune response throughout the plant, even University of California, San Diego if infection is localized to one region. Her Mark Estelle has been working to under- lab also found that the Arabidopsis immune stand the role of the plant hormone auxin, response varies by the plant’s circadian clock. which helps plants respond to their environ- She plans to further her work in understand- continued on page 16 Mark Estelle. Photo by Denis Poroy/AP, © HHMI. ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 15 People HHMI and GBMF transposon silencing during reproduction; continued from page 15 he speculates that it may be possible to ment. He discovered that auxin leads to the grow a plant from egg cells without fertil- degradation of regulatory proteins that pre- ization. vent DNA transcription, and he identified the Rob is a professor at Cold Spring Harbor auxin receptor and its mechanism. He plans Laboratory, a fellow of the Royal Society, to study the pathways activated by auxin, and an associate member of the European starting with the growth of cotyledons. Molecular Biology Organization. Mark is distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Cell and Developmen- Elliot Meyerowitz tal Biology at the University of California, California Institute of Technology Sheng Yang He. Photo by Gary Malerba/AP, © HHMI. San Diego, a fellow of AAAS, and a member Elliot Meyerowitz was one of the first to of the National Academy of Sciences. He has identify a plant hormone receptor, and he served as monitoring editor for Plant Physi- helped discover how plants create their ology and as coeditor for The Plant Cell. characteristic pattern of leaves and flow- ers. He is using a variety of tools, including Sheng Yang He live imaging and mathematical modeling, Michigan State University to understand how plant cells use auxin to Sheng Yang He studies what makes plants communicate and how the growing tip of the susceptible to disease. He first learned that plant, the apical meristem, differentiates into bacteria actually deliver proteins into the different tissues. His lab found that plant plant cell by needle-like structures and regeneration is enabled by a population of determined that some of the proteins sup- adult stem cells. press the plant’s immune response; similar Elliot is the George W. Beadle Profes- Robert Martienssen. Photo by Kathy Kmonicek/ AP, © HHMI. suppression has been shown by some hu- sor of Biology at the California Institute man pathogens, including the bacterium of Technology but is currently serving as that causes bubonic plague. Sheng Yang the inaugural director of the Sainsbury plans to continue his work on pathogenesis Laboratory at the University of Cambridge mechanisms, the stomata defense system, (see Members in the News, page 10). He is and the role of toxins and hormones in a fellow of AAAS, a member of the Na- plant disease. He also hopes to find natural tional Academy of Sciences, and a foreign inhibitors of a major bacterial pathogenesis member of the Royal Society. He received pathway. ASPB’s Martin Gibbs Medal in 1995 and Sheng Yang is professor of plant biology was named a fellow of ASPB in 2010. El- at Michigan State University (MSU) and the liot was also a founding editor with Chris MSU–Department of Energy Plant Research Somerville of The Arabidopsis Book and Laboratory. received a grant from the ASPB Education Elliot Meyerowitz. Photo by Rene Macura/AP, © HHMI. Foundation in 2007 to help create a teacher Robert Martienssen training program in using plants as a model Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory system to address state biology education Rob Martienssen began studying maize standards. transposons in the mid-1980s, discovering that they regulate genes through methyla- Krishna K. Niyogi tion. These methylated transposons also University of California, Berkeley, and lose their ability to move, so methylation Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides a host defense mechanism. He has Kris Niyogi has been studying photosynthe- also studied the role of small RNAs in gene sis for more than a decade as well as how regulation, linking RNA interference to the plants thrive with an unsteady supply of inactive form of chromosomal DNA, and sunlight. Using both Arabidopsis and the Krishna Niyogi. Photo by Steve Yeater/AP, © HHMI the role of regulatory RNAs in reinstating green alga Chlamydomonas, he has focused 16 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 People on non-photochemical quenching in which Craig is the Carlos O. Miller Professor of plants release heat as a line of defense when Plant Growth and Development at Indiana they absorb too much light; greater under- University Bloomington and a fellow of AAAS. standing of this process could help develop more efficient biofuels and food crops. Keiko U. Torii Kris is a professor in the Department University of Washington of Plant and Microbial Biology at the Keiko Torii was among the first to discover University of California, Berkeley, and a receptor kinases in plants, proteins that span faculty scientist in the Physical Biosciences the cell membrane to transmit chemical Division at Lawrence Berkeley National signals from other cells. Knocking out these Laboratory. He received ASPB’s Charles kinases had an effect on the pattern of pores Albert Shull Award in 2005 and a Presiden- known as stomata; further investigation re- Craig Pikaard. Photo by AJ Mast/AP, © HHMI. tial Early Career Award for Scientists and vealed that several genes that led to stomatal Engineers. He served as coeditor for The stem cells were in the same class as master Plant Cell and as a member and chair of regulatory proteins for neuron and muscle ASPB’s Publications Committee. development in animals. She is now working across disciplines to understand the regula- Craig Pikaard tory dynamics and signaling pathways that Indiana University Bloomington create stomatal patterns. Greater understand- Craig Pikaard has been investigating how ing of this process can help predict how plants plant cells silence gene expression, focusing will cope with changing climates, including on epigenetics, which are inherited changes droughts and other environmental challenges. not affecting the DNA sequence. He looked Keiko is professor of biology at the Uni- at nucleolar dominance, when ribosomal versity of Washington. She currently serves as a monitoring editor for Plant Physiology, a Keiko Torii. Photo by Stephen Brashear/AP, © HHMI. RNA is only expressed from one parent in a genetic hybrid. He will further his research member of the editorial board for The Arabi- on gene silencing, including through the dopsis Book, and a mentor for ASPB’s SURF use of single atom cryoelectron microscopy, program. T to understand how the cell chooses which Adam P. Fagen, PhD genome to suppress. ASPB Public Affairs Director In Their Own Words… On the Value of HHMI that exists today in the basic plant sci- GBMF in providing additional resources and GBMF Investment in ences. Many of the world’s most pressing to take advantage of the opportunities in Plant Science problems, including food security, renew- this field.” — Philip Benfey able energy, and climate change, relate “I believe it sends a strong message that directly to plant biology. The potential for “This investment by HHMI-GBMF imme- plants are a really great system of study. advances in the basic plant sciences to ad- diately signals to the broader biomedical Knowledge of plant functions has contrib- dress these issues has never been greater. research community and the public that uted—and will continue to contribute—to At the same time, this is an underfunded plant science is intrinsically interesting fundamental knowledge on many levels.” area of research when compared to and can drive important discoveries that — Joe Ecker biomedical science, allowing this gener- matter to society—a message that can get ous funding to have even greater impact. lost on occasion.” — Jeff Dangl “This HHMI-GBMF funding is, in part, a It can only be hoped that other funding recognition of the immense opportunity sources will follow the lead of HHMI and continued on page 18 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 17 People HHMI and GBMF entertain the notion of moving in com- applications (in our case, new plant breed- continued from page 17 pletely new directions. It is very difficult ing technologies). With the HHMI-GBMF to get funding for crazy new ideas or to funding, we can keep doing the explor- “I think it’s great that HHMI and GBMF make sharp turns in research direction atory, avant garde work that proved suc- are recognizing the importance of plant in the U.S. funding system. The HHMI- cessful for us yet is hard to fund through science and enabling research that would GBMF funds, in my view, obligate us to traditional panels.” — Simon Chan likely be considered too ‘high risk’ by do so!” — Jeff Dangl most grant panels.” — Kris Niyogi “It is such an incredible honor to be “It gives me the opportunity to think broadly named as one of the HHMI-GBMF Inves- “I think we, as a society, underinvested in about what needs to be done in my field and tigators. At the time, I was reconsidering agricultural research, and we are lagging go after it, rather than spending my time my career as a basic plant developmental behind in our increases in productivity. trying to write proposals that adjust to grants’ biologist in the United States; due to the Increases in food prices have a very serious RFPs with a small chance of success. The difficulty of acquiring federal funding, I impact on those who have limited resourc- HHMI long-term support gives me a lot of thought I might have to reorient my focus es. Investments in agricultural research can flexibility to address important questions.” to applied crop/energy biomass research. help us meet this demand faster.” — Jorge Dubcovsky This extraordinary opportunity from — Jorge Dubcovsky HHMI-GBMF enables me to go back to “HHMI-GBMF will allow me to sig- the basics and explore the fundamental “The impact of this program is huge for nificantly accelerate the progress of my questions in plant development: how plant plant biology. The history of biomedically laboratory’s research and to conduct cells interact to coordinate organogenesis relevant plant research is so easily forgot- innovative experiments that require more and tissue patterning. Stomatal develop- ten, as I know all too well being in a field resources.” — Xinnian Dong ment is a great system to understand populated by cancer biologists. Now that positional signals, cell–cell communica- we collaborate with plant breeders around tion, stem cell renewal, and cell fate speci- the world, I also realize that we have “I hope that the HHMI-GBMF funding fication in plants. I would like to take this to emphasize the global importance of will allow me and collaborators to make great opportunity to explore new, cross- agricultural research, especially to funding new contributions to the emerging field of disciplinary approaches to investigate such bodies in developed countries.” plant disease susceptibility and to expand — Simon Chan the use of pathogen virulence factors questions.” — Keiko Torii as unique probes in the discovery and “The animal field is sort of considered characterization of fundamental cellular the default. People are allowed to be mechanisms in plants.” — Sheng Yang He On the Impact Beyond completely illiterate about plants and Their Own Labs that was okay . . . . HHMI and GBMF “It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I can’t “HHMI will . . . provide the university are saying that plants have something to wait to start some crazy new projects with funds for the use of my laboratory contribute.” — Dominique Bergmann related to improving photosynthesis.” space and has already benefited my home — Kris Niyogi department, which is in the midst of an extensive renovation project to improve On the Freedom to Pursue “The major impact I anticipate for my the research and teaching space in one New Research Directions laboratory’s research is the ability to ac- of our historic buildings. . . . The support “These are experiments that we’ve talked celerate our movement into new areas, from HHMI-GBMF has changed the about over beer that we’d really like to particularly epigenomics, bioinformatics, financial landscape sufficiently for the ad- do—but none of us thought we’d get the and physical biochemistry.” ministration to commit funds to complete chance to do.” — Dominique Bergmann — Craig Pikaard the project as needed. This is one of the ways that HHMI-GBMF funding provides “The biggest opportunity for me will be “Our work is a nice example of how com- benefits beyond individual investigators’ to regain time to think creatively and pletely basic research can lead directly to laboratories.” — Craig Pikaard 18 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 People “This funding will help me develop room to the conference room where his “I was thrilled to learn that I was selected functional genomic tools for the wheat thesis committee would ask their detailed as an HHMI-GBMF Investigator. I felt community. We would like to sequence questions. (He did a masterful job.)” grateful to my PhD and postdoctoral our wheat TILLING populations using — Craig Pikaard advisers, David Stern and Elliot Meyerow- high-throughput sequencing so people itz, for the training they had given me; my can access mutations in all genes with a “Elation and relief, quickly followed by former and current students and postdocs simple web search. This will empower the recognition that from those to whom for their dedication and hard work; and everybody to do deeper functional gene much is given, much is expected. We have the entire Arabidopsis community for analyses in wheat.” — Jorge Dubcovsky a responsibility to make the most of this making Arabidopsis a superb model to wonderful opportunity and to leverage our unveil the molecular secrets of life.” “I can actually invest in some experi- success across our community.” — Xuemei Chen ments that are a bit risky or things that — Jeff Dangl will build an infrastructure that will When those selected as HHMI-GBMF serve my lab and the university and the “I did not believe that I had the slightest Investigators were being contacted, Dom- broader plant community.” chance to receive the award, as I’ve always inique Bergmann was on a plane from — Dominique Bergmann thought that such awards were for ‘star’ Europe to San Francisco. After 13 hours or ‘celebrity’ scientists who have both the of flying, she opened her phone to find an pedigree and prestige. I’ve come a long e-mail from a colleague congratulating way since the days in Japan where I was an her on an honor she didn’t yet know she On Getting the News unnoted student. I am truly grateful to the had won. T “I received the good news from HHMI- committee who selected me, and I would GBMF on my iPhone midway through very much like to do my best to demonstrate the PhD defense of one of my students, that exciting plant science can come from just as we were moving from the seminar anywhere.” — Keiko Torii 2011 Class of NAS Theologis was elected to NAS member- The National Academy of Sciences is a continued from page 13 ship. Until his recent retirement from active private honorific society of distinguished Jiayang said, “I am honored to be elected. research, Sakis was an adjunct professor in scholars engaged in scientific research. Es- This reflects the outstanding contribution the Department of Plant and Microbial Biol- tablished in 1863 by a congressional act of of my colleagues in the lab and the constant ogy at the University of California, Berke- incorporation signed by Abraham Lincoln, support from my institute and CAS. I am ley, and a research scientist at the USDA/ the Academy acts as an official adviser to also grateful to those in China and the USA Agricultural Research Service–UC Berkeley the federal government through its operat- who have influenced my own thinking as a Plant Gene Expression Center. He received ing arm, the National Research Council, biological scientist. I am sure that my election ASPB’s Stephen Hales Prize (http://my.aspb. administered with its sister organizations, will provide me a better opportunity to push org/?page=AF_Awards#hales) in 2010 and the National Academy of Engineering forward the collaboration between Chinese will speak at the awards symposium at Plant and the Institute of Medicine. Additional and American scientists in natural sciences, Biology 2011. information about the Academy and its especially in life sciences and agriculture.” Akira Endo was named a 2011 NAS foreign members is available online at http://www. associate. He is president of Biopharm nasonline.org. T ASPB Affiliates in NAS Research Laboratories after a long career In addition, two former members of ASPB at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and were honored by NAS. Athanasios (Sakis) Technology. ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 19 Yes, we’ve got you covered... There are many types of plant stress that defy easy, reliable, and fast field measurements. Opti-Sciences provides solutions for almost every type. The New OS1p- Capable of detecting most types of plant stress. l Early Water Stress in C34 and C plants o l Heat Stress at 35 C and above in C34 and C plants l Cold, Pesticide, Chemical and Biological Stresses In a class by itself, the OS1p includes direct readout of )F/Fm’, ETR, Fv/Fm, Rapid light Curves, Quenching Measurements and more on its built-in color graphics screen. Compared to any other PAM chlorophyll fluorometer, you will not find a more cost effective solution with as much capability as the OS1p! Affordable Reliable Highly Portable LCpro+ A Truly field portable CO22 - H O Gas exchange photosynthesis measurement system. Ideal for the most exacting plant stress measurements: o l Heat Stress can be detected at 30 C and above l Combining Gas Exchange and Fluorescence offers unique insight into cold stress l Lighter weight than similar systems facilitates extended field work The LCpro+ is a proven system from the oldest name in photosynthetic gas exchange, ADC BioScientific. In addition to the standard carbon assimilation and transpiration measurements, environmental controls allow graphing of all parameters including light curves, and A/Ci curves in the field. www.optisci.com Tel: 603 883-4400 8 Winn Ave. Hudson, NH 03051 Fax: 603 883-4410 Membership Corner ASPB members share a common goal of promoting the growth, development, and outreach of plant biology as a pure and applied science. This column features some of the dedicated and innovative members of ASPB who believe that membership in our Society is crucial to the future of plant biology. If you are interested in contributing to this feature, please contact ASPB Membership at [email protected]. 4. What would you tell nonmembers to soil. I have attended one International encourage them to join? Committee meeting and would be ASPB is a career-enhancing organiza- interested in volunteering if an tion vital for every plant biologist. opportunity presents itself. ASPB serves as the collective eyes, ears, 8. What could ASPB do better? and voice of plant biologists. Nonmem- ASPB could champion the cause of bers are missing opportunities to high school science teachers by showcase their research at meetings furthering a policy at the federal level where they can get instant feedback that would allow teachers to engage in from experts in the field; as members, research during summer with they can test their ideas with their peers appropriate compensation and and also have representation to bring effectively update the curriculum. This policy changes in science via ASPB. is the only way we can ensure having a Name: Amit Dhingra 5. Have you found a job or hired constant stream of well-prepared Title: Assistant Professor anyone using ASPB job postings or students choosing science as a career. Place of Work or School: Washington networking at the annual meeting? Also, ASPB can focus on having a State University Yes, I did hire one of my postdocs larger global presence to further the Research Area: Chloroplast biology, photo- through an ASPB job posting and also cause of plant biology. biology, fruit genomics, and biotechnology have several connections that I can 9. What do you see as the most impor- Member since: 2004 choose from when a postdoc or tant role for scientific societies such graduate student position opens in my as ASPB? 1. Has being a member of ASPB helped program. Scientific societies facilitate exchange of you in your career? If so, how? 6. Do you still read print journals? If ideas, people, and science and invigorate Being a member of ASPB has been so, where do you usually read them: research through face-to-face interac- tremendously rewarding for my work, home, library, in the car, on tions. Beyond the scientific realm, ASPB career. I have had the chance to get the bus, or somewhere else? can make a profound impact on critical feedback on my research in Not much. I guess I got on the “in spreading the tenets of scientific real time at annual meetings. Mem- silico” bus a few years ago. When I do thought among society at large. bership continues to provide me ready need to read older journals predating 10. What advice would you give to a access to thousands of experts in any the electronic revolution, I head to the plant scientist just starting out? area of plant biology. library. Get involved and get engaged because the golden era in plant biology is just 2. Why has being a member of ASPB 7. Have there been any issues in plant starting. You don’t want to miss it. been important to you? biology in which you thought ASPB It has given me an opportunity to should be involved or that led you to 11. What do you think is the most interact and network with pioneers consider becoming active in the important discovery in plant biology and friends in plant biology, and it has governance of the Society, and if so, over the past year, and why? allowed me to stay updated on the what were they? The role of RNA in regulation of latest developments in plant science. The engagement of undergraduate biological processes. 3. Was someone instrumental in students, underrepresented groups, 12. What do you think is the next “big getting you to join ASPB? and high school teachers and students thing” in plant biology? ASPB is THE happening plant in plant biology is close to my heart. I believe the next “big thing” is biology society. As I progressed in In addition, I think ASPB should be integration of all the “omics” and plant biology, joining ASPB was the involved in making an impact on plant logical choice. biology education beyond American continued on page 22 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 21 Membership Corner continued from page 21 biotechnology approaches to design 14. What do you still have left to learn? smoother pebble or a prettier shell plants for maximum food and energy This quote by Isaac Newton made a than ordinary, whilst the great ocean production to feed the burgeoning great impression on me while I was of truth lay all undiscovered before human population and meet the growing up: “I do not know what I me.” Guess that says it all: lots! T global energy budget. may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy 13. What are you reading these days? playing on the sea-shore, and diverting The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael myself now and then finding a Pollan. President’s Letter continued from page 7 14. Hallett, S. (2011). Life without oil: Why we 16. Kennedy, J.F. (May 25, 1961). Special mes- must shift to a new energy future. New sage to the Congress on urgent national 5. Thomashow, M. (2006). Plant biologists York: Prometheus Books. needs. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/ and the development of renewable energy Ready-Reference/JFK-Speeches/Special- sources. ASPB News 33(1): 1, 5. 15. Soccol, C.R., et al. (2010). Bioethanol from lignocelluloses: Status and perspectives in Message-to-the-Congress-on-Urgent- 6. Amasino, R. (2007). Energy and plant Brazil. Bioresource Technology 101: National-Needs-May-25-1961.aspx. biology. ASPB News 34(1): 1, 4; Amasino, 4820-4825. R. (2007). The energy pie. ASPB News 34(5): 5–6. 7. McClung, C.R. (2008). Let them eat cake? One dickens of a dilemma. ASPB News 35(3): 1, 4–5. PLANT SAVE 8. Assmann, S. (2009) Perennialism and stew- % BIOCHEMISTRY ardship. ASPB News 36 (3): 1, 4-5. by GLEASON and CHOLLET 9. Interagency Working Group. (2010). Growing 30 America’s fuel: An innovation approach to achieving the president’s biofuels target. Use Coupon Code ASPB30 when Ordering at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ http://go.jblearning.com/gleason or Call 1-800-832-0034 rss_viewer/growing_americas_fuels.PDF. 10. Buchanan, G.A. (August 26, 2006). LEARN MORE Statement before Senate Oversight & SAVE 30% Committee hearing on biofuels research for Scan this barcode with energy production. http://www.usda.gov/ your Smart Phone documents/8-26-06Buchanan.pdf. 11. Wigmosta, M.S., et al. (2011). National microalgae biofuel production potential and resource demand. Water Resource NEW Research 47: W00H04. 12. Vermerris, W. (2011). Survey of genomics Qualified instructors approaches to improve bioenergy traits in are invited to request a complimentary maize, sorghum, and sugarcane. Journal of review copy for course Integrative Plant Biology 53: 105-119. adoption consideration 13. McCone, T.E., et al. (2011). Grand chal- lenges for life-cycle assessment of biofuels. Environmental Science & Technology 45: 1751-1756. 40 Tall Pine Drive | Sudbury, MA | 01776 | 1-800-832-0034 | www.jblearning.com 22 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 Public Affairs Update This column provides just a small sample of the content in the ASPB Washington Report and the Plant Biology Policy Blog. The ASPB Washington Report, available at http://www.aspb.org/ publicaffairs/washington.cfm, is published by the ASPB Public Affairs Department and includes To keep up-to-date on ASPB’s material provided by ASPB’s legislative affairs consultants, Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC. The policy public affairs activities, please join the Public Affairs group (http:// blog may be found on the ASPB website at http://www.aspb.org/policyblog. www.aspb.org/publicaffairs) on the ASPB website and look for us on Facebook (facebook.com/ myASPB) and Twitter (twitter.com/ ASPB). To receive an e-mail copy of the ASPB Washington Report, e-mail [email protected] and ask to be added to the distribution list. To receive an e-mail message whenever there is a new post in any of these areas, just click the green checkmark to subscribe at the top of any of these pages; RSS feeds are avail- able from the orange RSS icon at the top right. All of this—and more—is available from the public affairs section of the ASPB web- site: http://www.aspb.org/publicaffairs. Nick Carpita (left) talks about the potential of biofuels with NSF Deputy Director Cora Marrett. ASPB Shares Funding Priorities with House Members As Congress deliberates over fiscal year (FY) ASPB Participates in Capitol Hill Updated Public Affairs Website 2012 funding legislation, ASPB is educat- Exhibition ASPB is in the process of updating the public ing members of Congress on the benefits ASPB was one of the exhibitors at the 17th affairs section of the website to provide of plant science as well as seeking their Annual Capitol Hill Exhibition organized by members with timely access to news and support to provide robust funding for the Coalition for National Science Funding funding opportunities. In particular, mem- federal science agencies. Building on the this May. ASPB President Nick Carpita bers may be interested in receiving e-mail advocacy meetings ASPB’s Public Affairs presented a poster, titled “Maximizing updates or RSS feeds of four public affairs Committee had with congressional offices Conversion of Biomass Carbon to Liquid features on the website: in March, the ASPB public affairs team sent Fuel,” which highlighted an interdisciplinary • Plant Biology Policy Blog for updates on House members programmatic request program that fuses plant genetics and cell policy news impacting the plant biology letters outlining ASPB’s support for plant wall composition with chemical catalysis and community: http://www.aspb.org/ research programs at NSF, DOE, USDA, engineering for direct conversion of biomass policyblog NIH, and U.S. Agency for International to liquid biofuels. The research he described • Funding Opportunities Blog for infor- Development. The letters requested specific is supported by the National Science mation about new opportunities for funding amounts for research agencies Foundation’s (NSF’s) Emerging Frontiers in grants and fellowships: http://www.aspb. and provided background information to Research and Innovation program. org/fundingblog inform House members as they commu- Several members of Congress attended nicate their FY2012 funding priorities to • Plants in the News, which highlights the event, including members of the House the House Appropriations subcommittees news coverage of plant science and plant Science Committee and the House Appro- that set federal spending levels. Despite a scientists: http://www.aspb.org/ priations subcommittee with jurisdiction for challenging fiscal environment, ASPB con- plantsinthenews NSF. Among those who stopped by Nick’s tinues to lead advocacy efforts to sustain • ASPB Press Releases to keep up with poster were Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) critical investments in plant science. and Cora Marrett, who was just confirmed news from ASPB: http://www.aspb.org/ by the U.S. Senate as NSF’s deputy director. pressreleases continued on page 24 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 23 Public Affairs Update continued from page 23 National Institute of Food and Agriculture the hearing by characterizing the request as (NIFA) would experience significant reduc- “not reflective of the current fiscal environ- House Appropriations Committee tions under the proposed bill. ment” and asked Secretary Chu to outline his Releases FY2012 Subcommittee Allocations A total of $2.2 billion would be provided top priorities, as Congress will have to make for agricultural research, which is almost difficult choices about what to fund for the On May 11, the House Appropriations 14% below both the FY2011 level and the coming fiscal year. Committee released its proposed spending president’s request for FY2012. Within Sen. Feinstein and subcommittee Rank- caps for each of the FY2012 appropria- this amount, ARS would see a decrease ing Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN) tions bills, also known as 302(b) suballoca- tions. According to a statement released by of 12% below the FY2011 enacted level, specifically called out programs including House Appropriations Committee Chair while NIFA would be reduced by 16%. The the DOE Office of Science and Advanced Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), the funding limits Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) are based on the budget resolution that (AFRI) competitive grants program would as deserving of continued support in the face passed the House on April 15. The budget receive $229.5 million under the full House of a challenging budgetary environment. plan outlines nearly $46 billion in further Appropriations Committee proposal, which Sen. Alexander touched on the wider debate reductions for civilian programs in FY2012. represents a sizable decrease below both regarding the role of government in support- Among the allocations, the Defense ap- the FY2011 enacted level ($265 million) ing clean energy, stating that he and most propriations bill was the clear winner, with and the president’s FY2012 request ($325 of his Republican colleagues believe that the committee increasing the spending cap million). The agricultural research com- supporting fundamental and early applied by $17 billion (3.3%) over FY2011 levels. munity will need to keep up pressure on energy research is an appropriate function All of the other allocations were down from appropriators to sustain funding for AFRI, for the federal government but oppose long- FY2011: Agriculture down $2.7 billion which Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack term subsides to prop up mature technolo- (13.4%), Commerce/Justice/Science down has advocated for growing closer to its gies in the global marketplace. $3.1 billion (5.8%), Energy/Water down authorized level of $700 million, especially Echoing the subcommittee’s bipartisan $1.0 billion (3.3%), and Labor/Health and following the departure of NIFA Director support for research, Secretary Chu used Human Services/Education down $18.2 and competitive research champion Roger his prepared testimony to describe how the billion (11.6%). Beachy earlier this month. (See below for FY2012 DOE budget request emphasizes The House and Senate seem far apart more about support for AFRI.) President Obama’s goal to “win the future,” on spending cuts and tax increases, with Timing for movement on a Senate and he identified clean energy research as some Senate Democrats proposing tax companion bill remains unclear, but it is critical to U.S. competitiveness. increases or cuts to defense spending. expected that total discretionary spending in NSF Releases New Strategic Plan These large differences are likely to lead to that version of the bill will be higher than the NSF recently released its strategic plan for another continuing resolution, as Congress amount provided by the House. the next five years (http://1.usa.gov/lR- will have difficulty coming to a resolution Senate Appropriations Subcommittee FKM6). The plan, Empowering the Nation on spending before the start of FY2012 on Questions Energy Secretary on Through Discovery and Innovation: NSF October 1, 2011. FY2012 Request Strategic Plan for FY2011–2016, outlines House Appropriations Marks Up On May 18, the Senate Appropriations three strategic goals: transform the fron- FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Devel- tiers, innovate for society, and perform as a In late May, the House Appropriations Sub- opment held a hearing to review the FY2012 model organization. The agency states that committee on Agriculture and Rural Devel- budget request for DOE. Secretary of Energy it will continue to use intellectual merit and opment approved its version of the FY2012 Steven Chu was the hearing’s lone witness and broader impacts as metrics for awarding appropriations bill that funds USDA, Food received widespread praise from subcom- grants and as tools to engage current and and Drug Administration, and related agen- mittee members for his tenure at the agency. future scientists. cies. Despite statements by the committee However, despite their expressions of per- To develop the updated strategic plan, and subcommittee chairs that protecting sonal admiration for the secretary, subcom- NSF created a working group that received research was a priority in the bill, both mittee members criticized the proposed DOE input from NSF staff and from NSF’s internal USDA research programs through budget request for FY2012 as out of touch numerous advisory committee members the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and with current budgetary realities. Subcommit- who represent the science and engineering extramural programs administered by the tee Chair Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) opened communities. 24 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 Public Affairs Update ICE Adds Plant Science to Fields upon graduation to extend their postgraduate “We appreciate the constraints you face Qualifying for Extensions training in the United States. in allocating scarce dollars for discretionary U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforce- Under the OPT program, foreign programs at USDA,” the senators wrote. ment (ICE) announced on May 12 that it students who graduate from U.S. colleges “However, investing in research is investing has expanded the list of science, technol- and universities are able to remain in the in America’s future. If America is going to ogy, engineering, and math (STEM) degree United States and receive training through be competitive in the global economy in the programs that qualify eligible graduates work experience for up to 12 months. Stu- coming decades, we have to address long- on student visas for an Optional Practical dents who graduate with one of the newly term challenges by making strong invest- Training (OPT) extension. The additions are expanded STEM degrees can remain for ments in agricultural research today. We urge an effort by the Obama administration to fix an additional 17 months on an OPT STEM you to make AFRI a priority as you make problems in the U.S. immigration system by extension. your FY2012 appropriations decisions.” expanding access to the nation’s pool of tal- The senators especially singled out ented, highly skilled graduates in the science Senate Democrats Call for Full biomass feedstocks as a critical contribu- and technology fields. AFRI Funding tion of USDA research, saying that they “are By expanding the list of STEM degrees to A group of Democratic senators led by Sen. especially encouraged that AFRI has made include such fields as plant science, hor- Al Franken (D-MN) has sent a letter to biomass feedstock development a high prior- ticultural science, neuroscience, medical Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcom- ity for its upcoming grant awards.” informatics, pharmaceutics and drug design, mittee Chair Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Joining Sen. Franken on the letter mathematics, and computer science, the Ranking Member Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) were Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Sen. Carl Obama administration is hoping to address in support of USDA research funding. Levin (D-MI), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), shortages in certain high-tech sectors of The senators asked that AFRI be funded at Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Sen. Jeff talented scientists and technology experts, $324.6 million, the level requested by Presi- Merkley (D-OR). T permitting highly skilled foreign graduates dent Obama for FY2012 and a $60 million Adam P. Fagen, PhD who wish to work in their field of study increase over FY2011 levels. ASPB Public Affairs Director Plant Physiology® 2010 Update Collection Now Available The 2010 edition of the Annual Update Collection compiles all the front-section Updates published in Plant Physiology in 2010, along with the prologue editorials written by the guest editors of that year’s Focus Issues. Updates review recent progress in the thematic areas covered by the Focus Issues (and more) and are written to be accessible and interest- ing for people reading them as an introduction to a particular topic, preparing for a lecture, or making classroom assignments. The 2010 Collection covers • Plant Systems Biology • Cell Wall • Five additional Updates The Annual Update Collection 2010 is available in a convenient printed format for only $35 (shipping included). To order, visit https://aspb.site-ym.com/store/default.asp ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 25 ASPB Education Forum Changing Practice to Meet Vision: A Call to Action The Changing Nature of Biology Biology as a discipline is evolving rapidly. A Call to Action (2), a report conceived at the in part by an NSF award (#1125988). As stat- The tools we have at hand, the questions we summit and released in February 2011. The ed in the abstract for this award, the work- ask, and the ways in which we answer them report represents a community effort to ad- shop is designed to “serve as a starting point and communicate with one another have all dress the challenges of a changed discipline for the members and the society to identify changed radically over the past 20 years. This and a changing student body. It builds on resources for responding to V&C recommen- is especially true with respect to the study of the efforts of preceding reports (3, 4) and the dations, gaps in those resources, opportuni- plants. knowledge and experience of contributing ties to disseminate existing resources, and As observed in the National Research scientists, science educators, and students, opportunities to develop new resources to Council’s A New Biology for the 21st Century many of whom are plant biologists. address identified gaps.” As documented by (1), plant biology is of increasing importance In this article, we discuss the role of Ellis and Engen (6), ASPB members have al- to national economies and the health of the ASPB in the process of producing the Vision ready identified “top priorities for improving planet. The growing global population chal- and Change (V&C) report, and we summa- plant science education” that are mirrored in lenges plant scientists to tackle such complex rize some of the report’s recommendations. the V&C report, including the following: issues as the sustainable and adaptable pro- We also raise questions about how ASPB • attitudes toward teaching need to be duction of food, the cost-effective produc- can help implement V&C recommendations changed, especially at major universities; tion of biofuels, and how to ensure that these within the plant biology community. ASPB • professors need additional support to efforts do not compete with one another. has scheduled a V&C workshop at Plant become effective teachers and to dissemi- Knowledge of plant processes, plant–plant Biology 2011 to explore these issues (Mon- nate their effective techniques; and interactions, and plant–environment inter- day, August 8, 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m.). The • measurable learning objectives must be actions are key to addressing these issues. workshop is designed to help the Society defined, and the relevance of the content A strong plant biology workforce is critical and its members put themselves clearly to students’ lives must be specified. to obtaining that knowledge. A public with in the forefront of meeting the challenges Table 1 lists other priorities set forth by an understanding of scientific processes set forth by V&C advisory board cochair Plant Biology 2007 conferees. In addition, and the workings of science is essential to Carol Brewer during her presentation of because many ASPB members are in posi- ensuring that the knowledge is used wisely. the V&C report at the most recent AAAS tions of influence in their own institution The challenge to plant biologists is clear: 1) meeting (February 2011, Washington, D.C.). and ASPB itself is an important voice in the help generate knowledge of plant processes She urged her audience to act forcefully biology community, the Society is well po- and interactions and 2) engage students in and become agents of change for biology sitioned to be a leader in the process of put- generating, synthesizing, and evaluating this undergraduate education, noting, “If not ting V&C recommendations into practice. knowledge in ways that are consistent with now, when? If not us, who?” (5). Our hope Key Findings of Vision and Change current scientific practice. is that the plant biology community will be The V&C report stresses that to be scientifi- motivated to act and, especially, that discus- Educational Responses to Disciplinary cally literate, students need to understand a sions at Plant Biology 2011 and beyond will Challenges few core concepts: evolution; pathways and produce plans of actions that support plant In July 2007, the National Science Founda- transformation of energy and matter; infor- biologists in implementing V&C recommen- tion (NSF) convened a meeting of interested mation flow, exchange, and storage; structure dations. stakeholders to discuss the educational and function; and the interconnectedness and opportunities and challenges afforded by the ASPB’s Role at the Forefront interactions of living systems. The report fur- changing nature of biology. This meeting was ASPB and its members have been involved ther states that undergraduates should master followed by a series of conversations, culmi- in V&C efforts from the beginning. ASPB the following competencies, as evidenced by nating in a summit in July 2009 of some 500 was one of the first societies to host a mini- their abilities to apply the process of science, biologists, including these stakeholders, rep- conversation (6). ASPB representatives were use quantitative reasoning, use modeling and resentatives of major funding agencies, and prominent participants in the V&C meeting simulation, tap into the interdisciplinary na- the National Academy of Sciences. Results for professional societies and the July 2009 ture of science, communicate and collaborate of these efforts were captured in Vision and summit. ASPB has now come full circle with with other disciplines, and understand the Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: its V&C workshop, which is being supported relationship between science and society. To 26 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 Education Forum achieve these aims, the report stresses that Table 1. Goals Arising at the ASPB 2007 Conversation • students should be involved in authentic All goals are directly quoted from the article summarizing the meeting (6). research experiences to help them criti- cally analyze biological data from a range Goal of perspectives; and The scientific method should be taught to everyone, not just science majors, and should • curricula should include probability instruction. –– move away from teaching students to simply recite facts and terminology, Attitudes toward teaching need to be changed, especially at major research universities. –– move toward challenging students to Professors need additional support to become effective teachers and to disseminate their ask better questions and develop deeper effective techniques. and more nuanced responses, and K–12 education majors need more science education. Science majors need to be taught to –– involve students actively in discus- teach. sions of concepts. Longer terms (although not necessarily more money) are needed for funding—for ex- The Association of American Medi- ample, five years rather than three. Projects need at least that long to produce verifiable cal Colleges (7) and the College Board results. Advanced Placement Study Program (8) have recently published similar calls for a Biology should be taught to all undergraduates. It is the platform for all scientific thinking. concept- and competencies-based approach The needs of majors (i.e., expertise) versus nonmajors (i.e., literacy) should be distin- to education. In addition, the V&C report guished and thoroughly defined. and the New Biology report (1) both note Measurable learning objectives must be defined, and the relevance of content to students’ the increasing interdisciplinary nature of lives must be specified. biological research and the resulting need for interdisciplinarity in biology education. Both Science classes should use the same evaluation standards for all students, raising the bar reports highlight the need to develop stu- for nonmajors. (For example, there’s no such course as “English Literature for Nonmajors.”) dents’ computational and modeling skills so More support is needed for pedagogical development, especially as related to interdisci- that they are prepared to utilize the increas- plinary connections. No discipline stands alone. ingly large and complex body of biological Change is required in teaching approaches. Spouting all the answers is an outdated data, pursue questions that capitalize on method. Professors should a) model good research techniques and collaborative processes, these data, and design new approaches made b) build learning communities around specific problems, and c) teach students to innovate possible by advancing technologies. and evaluate. In discussing how to bring about change, the V&C report notes that biology de- Bring back the excitement of discovery! Educators should create discovery-based courses partments need to foster communities of that address real, significant problems. They should find ways to do innovative, active stakeholders—including undergraduates, learning with large classes. graduate students, faculty, and administra- Science teaching is a process, not a litany of facts. Graduate students should be given teach- tors—who will develop, use, assess, and ing and research tools and allowed to go through the process. disseminate best practices in biology teach- ing and learning. The report also indicates Students must be oriented toward global citizenship. the need for professional development for faculty—including graduate and postdoc- the healthy diversity within the discipline of concepts and competencies into examples toral trainees as future faculty—so that they life science. specifically relevant for plant biology teach- are prepared to adopt, adapt, and develop In order to transform the above ideas ing and learning. More broadly, we encour- effective approaches to undergraduate biol- into actions, we encourage plant biologists age the plant biology community to ask the ogy education. The report recognizes that to explore how current lists of concepts and following: this will require a cultural shift and deep competencies in plant biology, such as the 12 • How can ASPB and its members work commitment from all stakeholders. It is Principles of Plant Biology (http://www.aspb. within institutional and departmental also clear that there will be differences in org/12principles), fit within the concepts structures to effect change? approaches to change and degrees of change and competencies noted previously. We also • How can a roadmap or a strategy for across the biology community, which reflects encourage plant biologists to translate these continued on page 28 ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 27 Education Forum Changing Practice Useful Reading and Resources table of funding opportunities and other continued from page 27 In preparation for this workshop and sub- resources for supporting efforts to put V&C changing institutional culture and atti- recommendations into practice (Table 2). sequent discussions, we recommend that tudes be developed? We have also included examples of funded plant biologists read Vision and Change (2), • How do the concepts and competencies projects in undergraduate education in important to plant biologists fit into the A New Biology (1), and a seminal article by plant biology that are consistent with V&C broad categories found in the V&C report? Jay Labov and others (9) highlighting the recommendations (see Table 3). Our hope The V&C workshop at Plant Biology 2011 synergy created by near concurrent publica- is that these resources will be useful to will be a venue for initiating these discussions. tion of both reports. We have included a continued on page 30 Table 2. Programs and Resources Supporting Educational Change This table details selected funding opportunities at NSF, NIH, and USDA as well as general resources for biology/plant science faculty. Program Foci of Support Special Considerations Solicitation NSF Programs TUES Curriculum development, pedagogy, Three levels: NSF 10-544 engaging students in the scientific process, Type 1—exploratory community building, faculty development, Type 2—expansion developing computational competence Type 3—comprehensive STEP Curriculum development, pedagogy, engag- Projects must be designed to increase the NSF 08-569 ing students in the scientific process, faculty number of STEM graduates development RCN-UBE Community building Supports projects to build communities of NSF 11-531 biology faculty REU Engaging students in the scientific process Cross-directorate at NSF NSF 09-598 NIH Programs IRACDA Faculty development Postdoctoral student teaching development http://www.nigms.nih.gov/ Training/CareerDev/ MOREInstRes.htm USDA Programs HEC Curriculum development, student and Supports projects to improve formal, postsec- USDA-NIFA- faculty development ondary-level agricultural sciences education CGP-003378 SPECA Curriculum development, student and Supports projects to promote and strengthen USDA-NIFA- faculty development for K–14 secondary and two-year agricultural sciences SAECP-003355 education Additional Resources AAAS BiosciEdNet (BEN): http://biosci.aaas.org/portal Commissioned Papers on Discipline-Based Education Research: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/DBER_Meeting2_commissioned_papers_page.html HMMI Cool Science: http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience iPlant: http://www.iplantcollaborative.org/leaflet/2010/05/12/the-iplant-leaflet-10-02 28 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 Education Forum Table 3. Sample Plant Science Education Projects This table highlights selected plant science education projects funded by NSF and USDA. Although housed in one directorate, some NSF proj- ects are jointly supported by the Division of Undergraduate Education and the Directorate for Biological Sciences. Principal Project Project Title Investigator Focus Number Projects Supported by NSF Division of Undergraduate Education TUES Program Pathways for new laboratory modules in under- D. Siritunga Students in genetics and cell biology courses contribute 0736727 graduate genetics and cell physiology education: to a research project on cassava lineage in Puerto Rico Characterization of Puerto Rican cassava by providing plant tissue from cassavas found close to their homes, extracting and quantifying the DNA, and assessing their genetic diversity through the use of SSR DNA markers. 2.0: Botany through Web 2.0, the memex and J. Greenberg An innovative technological approach to recruiting stu- 0737466 social learning dents and retaining their interest in the biological and botanical sciences; addresses the lack of diversity in the student population pursuing the botanical sciences. Development and use of laboratory curriculum K. Blee Collaborative effort enabling students in laboratories at 0837066 targeting student deficiencies to establish regional S. Wakim a state college and a neighboring community college to 0837588 higher learning communities in the biological engage in investigations using state-of-the-art tech- sciences niques to identify the functions of unknown genes in a model organism, A. thaliana. Projects Supported by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences SGER: Big Science at Small Schools Collaboration: S. Singer Brings new-generation sequencing technology and the 0746571 Genomics of Chamaecrista fasciculata, a native opportunity to work with whole sequences of expressed prairie plant with potential for mixed prairie or active genes in Chamaecrista fasciculata to an under- biomass graduate school. The iPlant Collaborative: A cyberinfrastructure- S. Goff Cyberinfrastructure collaborative for the plant sciences; 0735191 centered community for a new plant biology a community-building and educational enterprise designed to facilitate education and outreach. Transforming undergraduate education through M. Boyle Creating a regional network of faculty from small 1061893 increased faculty access to nextgen sequencing colleges to work toward the development of teaching runs approaches that incorporate unanalyzed investigator- requested DNA sequencing into research and under- graduate teaching activities. Projects Supported by USDA-NIFA Programs Growing the environmental science curriculum S. Dahlberg Refinement of new mycological modules across the 2010-38421-21292 ES curriculum; support professional development for the ES instructor in the fields of mycology and aquatic science. Hydroponics for the advancement of experiential Experiential learning opportunities in hydroponics for 2006-38820-17469 learning in environmental horticulture, soil sci- C. Niedziela, Jr. undergraduate and graduate students by constructing ence, and agricultural education and operating hydroponic systems; train high school agriculture teachers (AGED graduate students) how to build hydroponic demonstrations for their classrooms. Supporting instruction in soil and plant sciences: B. Chamberlin Curriculum development and faculty development in 2010-38422-21211 Filling the gaps in key STEM understanding for plant science. undergraduate students ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 29 Education Forum Changing Practice Press. http://www.nap.edu/catalog. 5. Brewer, C. (February 19, 2011). Biology continued from page 28 php?record_id=12764. education: A call to action. Presentation at biologists in transforming undergraduate the annual meeting of the AAAS. 2. Brewer, C.A., Smith, D., Bauerle, C., biology education to truly reflect the disci- Washington, D.C. http://visionandchange. DePass, A., Lynn, D., O’Connor, C., pline it serves. org/2011-report-launch. T Singer, S., Withers, M., Anderson, C.W., Bethany Holm, Terry Woodin,* and Donovan, S., Drew, S., Ebert-May, D., 6. Ellis, J., and Engen, K. (2007). SRO for Virginia Celeste Carter Gross, L., Hoskins, S.G., Labov, J., NSF @ PB07! ASPB News 34(5):54. National Science Foundation Lopatto, D., McClatchey, W., Varma- *Corresponding author ([email protected]) 7. AAMC-HHMI Committee. (2009). Nelson, P., Pelaez, N., Poston, M., Tanner, Scientific foundations for future physi- K., Wessner, D., White, H., Wood, W., Acknowledgments cians. Washington, D.C.: Association of and Wubah, D. (2011). Vision and change American Medical Colleges. http://www. We thank Susan Singer and Erin Dolan for in undergraduate biology education: A call hhmi.org/grants/pdf/08-209_AAMC- their helpful editorial suggestions, Judith to action. Washington, D.C.: American HHMI_report.pdf. Verbeke and Judith Skog for editorial help Association for the Advancement of and for supplying information relative to ap- Science. http://visionandchange.org/ 8. College Board Advanced Placement propriate programs and projects in the NSF finalreport. Study Program. (2011). AP biology curric- ulum framework 2012–2013. http:// Directorate for the Biological Sciences, and 3. National Research Council. (2003a). Bio media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/ Jermelina Tupas for information concerning 2010: Transforming undergraduate educa- pdf/ap/10b_2727_AP_Biology_CF_ USDA programs and projects. tion for future research biologists. WEB_110128.pdf. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or Washington, D.C.: National Academies recommendations expressed in this article are Press. http://books.nap.edu/catalog. 9. Labov, J.B., Reid, A.H., and Yamamoto, those of the authors and do not necessarily php?record_id=10497. K.R. (2010). Integrated biology and undergraduate science education: A new reflect the views of NSF. 4. National Research Council. (2003b). biology education for the 21st century? Improving undergraduate instruction in CBE–Life Sciences Education 9:10–16. References science, technology, engineering, and http://www.lifescied.org/cgi/content/ mathematics. Washington, D.C.: National 1. National Research Council. (2009). A full/9/1/10. New Biology for the 21st Century. Academies Press. http://www.nap.edu/ Washington, D.C.: National Academies catalog.php?record_id=10711. Scenes from the grounds of ASPB headquarters, July 27, 2011 30 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 New Staff ASPB Welcomes Patti Lockhart as New Managing Editor ASPB is delighted to welcome Patti did take a brief break workshops on manuscript, figure, and table Patti Lockhart as its new man- from the world of scholarly preparation. aging editor. Patti will oversee publishing to teach business ASPB Executive Director Crispin Taylor the daily operations of peer English to managers in the said, “The combination of prior experiences review and production for the legal and technology depart- and accomplishments that Patti brings to Society’s two premier plant ments of Telecom Italia in the managing editor position, together science journals: Plant Physiol- Rome, but she was soon with her enthusiasm and strong interest in ogy and The Plant Cell. lured back to the United ensuring that both ASPB journals maintain Patti was most recently a States when DJS was first their very high levels of performance, will senior production specialist formed to oversee the transi- stand the Society in very good stead as the with Dartmouth Journal Ser- tion of several peer-reviewed scholarly publishing landscape continues to vices (DJS), which supplies scientific journals—includ- evolve.” copyediting and composition services for ing Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell—to Patti succeeds John Long, who is leaving both ASPB journals as well as many others. fully digital workflows. She also was respon- to pursue a career as a lawyer after nine Prior to that, she was a DJS editorial manager sible for recruiting, training, and managing years at ASPB, including nearly seven as and copyeditor trainer. Many years ago, she an extensive team of copyeditors, editorial managing editor. T was a production editor and composition assistants, and freelancers. She has worked group leader at Capital City Press, a forerun- closely with authors throughout the publica- ner of DJS and compositor for many years tion process and has attended many DJS for The Plant Cell. client–society annual meetings to present Kathy Munkvold Selected as ASPB Plant Science Policy Fellow Kathy Munkvold will be work- tween tomatoes and a bacterial volunteer opportunities in undergraduate ing with ASPB over the next six pathogen. She obtained a BS in teaching, including the development of a months as a plant science policy biology at Lycoming College in comparative immunology class for fresh- fellow, helping support the Plant Williamsport, Pennsylvania; a man biology students at Cornell University Science Research Summit and master’s degree in botany from with her adviser, Gregory Martin. other aspects of ASPB’s public the University of Georgia; and Kathy is interested in transitioning from affairs activities. a PhD in plant pathology from research into a career in science policy and Kathy comes to ASPB from Cornell University. is eager to work with ASPB on the upcom- the Boyce Thompson Institute At the Boyce Thompson ing Plant Science Research Summit. In her for Plant Research in Ithaca, Institute, Kathy served as the spare time, Kathy enjoys cooking, outdoor New York, where she previ- chair of the Career Perspective activities, and family time and looks for- ously worked as a postdoctoral associate, Series, which is committed to informing the ward to exploring all that the Washington, and more recently a research associate, Cornell University community of alterna- D.C., area has to offer. T studying the molecular interactions be- tive careers in science. She also pursued ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 4 • 31 PERIODICALS ASPB News POSTAGE PAID AT ROCKVILLE MD American Society of Plant Biologists AND ADDITIONAL 15501 Monona Drive MAILING OFFICES Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA Why compromise when you don’t have to? introducing AdvanCE™FS96 Exceptional resolution and rapid separation of dsDNA fragments by fluorescent capillary electrophoresis. +1-515-296-6600 [email protected] WORLD LEADERs IN PARALLEL CAPILLARY ELECTROPHOREs I s ASPB staff are dedicated to serving our members. We welcome your questions and feedback. For quick response, e-mail us at [email protected] or visit our FAQ at www.aspb.org/faq. ASPB News (ISSN 1535-5489; Online ISSN 1544-9149) is published bimonthly by the American Society of Plant Biologists, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA, telephone 301-251-0560, fax 301-279-2996. Members’ dues include a subscription price of $2 per year to ASPB News. Subscription price to nonmembers is $30 per year. 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