Signaling in Plant Development and in Response to the Environment

信号转导正在成为许多植物发育和适应环境的重要原理。信号通常涉及多个层次的反应，从器官、组织和细胞的相互作用到膜、细胞质和基因表达水平的事件。在我们看来，对信号转导的最有信息量的分析涉及多学科的方法，其中信号通过其多种水平和形式的表达(遗传、生化、物理、生理等)来表征。我们建议建立一个研究生培训计划，在我们的教学方法和研究指导方面进行创新，与来自六(6)个部门的教师合作，在多个级别的信号转导中进行合作研究。为此，我们将开发一门以问题为基础的学习课程，探索植物信号转导的多个方面。研究生将通过在两个(或更多)研究工作的交界处解决研究问题来从事多学科研究。一年一度的杰出研究员研讨会/讲习班系列和结束性国际研讨会将为学生的发展提供更多的机会。我们的计划将丰富下一代和当代研究人员可用的背景和“工具包”，以研究植物发育和对环境做出反应的机制。

Signal transduction is emerging as an important principle underlying much of plant development and adaptation to the environment. Signaling often involves multiple levels of response, from organ, tissue and cell interactions to events at the level of membranes, cytoplasm and gene expression. In our view, the most informative analyses of signal transduction involve multidisciplinary approaches where the signal is characterized through its multiple levels and forms of expression (genetic, biochemical, physical, physiological, etc.) We propose to establish a graduate training program with innovations in our instructional approach and research guidance with faculty from six (6) departments to pursue collaborative research across multiple levels of signal transduction. Toward this goal, we will develop a problem-based learning course to explore multiple facets of plant signal transduction. Graduate students will engage in multidisciplinary research by attacking research problems at the interface of two (or more) research efforts. An annual Distinguished Investigator seminar/workshop series and concluding international symposium will provide additional opportunity for student development. Our program will enrich the background and "tool-kit" available to the next generation, as well as the current generation, of researchers to investigate the mechanisms by which plants develop and react to their environment.