Research Interest

We are interested in studying plant cell wall formation and secondary vascular cell differentiation. Populus, Arabidopsis, and rice are employed in our studies.

Wood formation:

In trees, secondary vascular tissues develop from the vascular cambium, a meristem that divides inward to form secondary xylem tissues and outward to form secondary phloem tissues. Secondary vascular tissue in tree species contains a variety of specialized cells, including fiber cells, vessels, and sieve elements, which develop during the differentiation process following cambium cell division. One of our lab's study goals is to understand how secondary vascular tissue, or wood, is developed. And how trees can be manipulated to produce better wood.

Cell wall biosynthesis:

Most of the products of photosynthesis are stored in the secondary cell walls of sclerenchyma cells. These cells are mostly developed in the vascular tissues of plants. The secondary cell wall is made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which are used to make fiber, chemicals, and bioenergy. Another goal of our study in our lab is to understand how cell walls (mainly secondary cell walls) are synthesized in various types of cells. And how the cell wall biosynthesis can be regulated for more efficient utilization.