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Our research investigates plant morpho-anatomical diversity, from genes to whole organisms. We place this information within the broader context of ecology and evolution to understand how plants modulate their traits over time and space, enabling them to adapt to various conditions. We utilize fieldwork, wet lab, and collection-based research, as well as computational biology, to establish connections between these extreme phenotypes, their genotypes, and their environment.
One of the main questions our lab investigates is:
How do plants grow thick?
In this research, we uncover the patterns and processes underlying the formation of plant vascular tissue, which significantly contributes to plants' radial growth and a substantial portion of Earth's biomass.
Specifically, we examine the recurring evolution of vascular variants, which are odd patterns of vascular development observed in both wild and cultivated plants. Learn more about this topic here!
Given that vascular variants evolved multiple times during the evolution of flowering plants, they present a natural system for investigating the rules of life and advancing applied research (see below).
photosynthesis
Drawing by Karla Menezes
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structure & function
biomass
nutrients
pathogens
secondary metabolites
Plants produce their food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. In search of these resources, they grow tall and thick, storing carbon in their tissues, mostly in their roots, stems, and leaves.​
Drawing by Karla Menezes​​
Building the First Experimental System to Study the Genetic Mechanisms of Vascular Variants
Our research has elucidated the developmental anatomy underlying the diversity and evolution of vascular variants in seed plants through several investigations.
We are currently working to translate this phenomenon into applied plant sciences by investigating the genetics and function of vascular variants in lineages with ecological and agricultural significance. To achieve this goal, we will focus on the sugar beet and closely related species (and more).
The concentric rings in the beetroot, which are linked to its growth in thickness, represent a type of vascular variant. Plant breeders have selected over thousands of years due to its connection with sugar storage.
Drawing by Karla Menezes​​
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