Using historical-plant genomes to decode the molecular basis of climate change adaptation
Patricia Lang, Professor
Plant and Microbial Biology
Applications for Fall 2025 are closed for this project.
Climate change has dramatically reshaped plant life on Earth. Despite these widespread biological shifts creating serious challenges—such as mismatches in plant-biotic or plant-abiotic interactions—we still lack a comprehensive understanding of their molecular underpinnings. This project aims to characterize the genetic drivers underlying the most evident plant responses to climate change—shifts in flowering time and leaf pore density—and uncover the molecular mechanisms behind this developmental adaptation.
Herbaria, one of the key natural history archives for preserving plant specimens, clearly document both the developmental and molecular traits of plants that lived through centuries of anthropogenic climate change. Building on this advantage, we will detect genetic changes associated with phenotypic shifts over the past 200 years by combining whole-genome sequencing data from >200 herbarium samples with phenotyping results from >2,000 individuals. Using cutting-edge plant engineering tools, we will then experimentally validate the roles of historically shifting genetic variants on developmental control and climate adaptation in living plants.
Role: ▷ Basic analysis of genomic and climate datasets.
▷ Plant transformation and genotyping.
▷ Monitoring and managing plant growth in growth chambers and greenhouse.
▷ Participating in regular team meetings to discuss the ongoing research in the lab.
Qualifications: ▷ Genuine enthusiasm for plant biology and research.
▷ Completion of courses in Genetics, Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, or related fields.
▷ Careful and consistent data logging.
▷ Previous research experience is preferred but NOT required.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Max Gray, Myeongjune Jeon, Graduate Student, Post-Doc
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Related website: https://www.patricialang.org/
Biological & Health Sciences