Signaling in Plant Development and in Response to the Environment

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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.