Plant Breeding, Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology
Improving crops, discovering genes, exploring gene function, studying crop evolution.
Faculty Interest and Expertise
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- Cornelius Barry
- Associate Professor
- Biochemical Evolution of Specialized Metabolism within the Solanaceae Family; Genetic Determinants of Fruit Quality and Ripening
- (517) 884-6959
- barrycs@msu.edu
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- Patrick Edger
- Assistant Professor
- Polyploid Genomics
- 765-749-1496
- edgerpat@msu.edu
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- Rebecca Grumet
- Professor
- Reproductive development in Cucumis; regulation of sex-expression; disease resistance; biotechnology biosafety; cucurbit genomics.
- 517-353-0431
- grumet@msu.edu
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- Kyung-Hwan Han
- Professor
- Molecular biology of secondary growth; secondary wall biosynthesis; feedstock development for bioenergy and biomaterials; drought tolerance
- 517-353-4751
- hanky@msu.edu
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- Courtney Hollender
- Assistant Professor
- Molecular Genetics, Plant Development, Fruit Tree Physiology
- (517) 353-0446
- chollend@msu.edu
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- Amy Iezzoni
- Professor
- Sour cherry breeding for fruit quality and disease resistance; cherry genetics; marker-assisted breeding; cherry rootstock selection.
- 517-353-0391
- iezzoni@msu.edu
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- Jiming Jiang
- Professor
- (517) 355-4042
- jiangjm@msu.edu
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- Ning Jiang
- Professor
- Function of transposable elements; mechanisms of genome diversification; computational and molecular biology.
- 517-353-0381
- jiangn@msu.edu
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- Daniel Keathley
- Professor
- Small fruit crop genetics.
- 517-353-0374
- keathley@msu.edu
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- Guo-Qing Song
- Associate Professor
- Improvement of horticultural crops using genomics, genetic, and biotechnological tools; development of efficient plant micropropagation, regeneration and transformation techniques.
- (517) 353-0384
- songg@msu.edu
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- Steve van Nocker
- Professor
- Developmental genetics of plants, traits important for production including flowering, chromatin regulation of gene expression
- vannocke@msu.edu
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- Ryan Warner
- Associate Professor
- Genetics of plant development; genomics-assisted breeding; marker-assisted selection; floriculture crops.
- (517) 353-0344
- warnerry@msu.edu
Facilities
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Center for Advanced Microscopy
578 Wilson Road East Lansing, MI, 48824The Center for Advanced Microscopy, a Michigan State University Core Facility, is the central microscopy laboratory for the Michigan State University Campus.
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Horticulture Teaching Greenhouses
1066 Bogue St East Lansing, MI 48824These glass greenhouses are used primarily for teaching horticulture production classes.
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Plant Science Greenhouses
1059 Farm Ln East Lansing, MI 48824Located near the corner of Farm Ln and Wilson Rd, the Plant Science Greenhouses are utilized by Horticulture faculty, as well as other departments for plant science research.
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Research Technology Support Facility
612 Wilson Road S-20 East Lansing, MI 48824The Research Technology Support Facility at Michigan State University is a collection of five analytical facilities which provide the fundamental tools for modern life science research.
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The Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center
1066 Bogue St East Lansing, MI 48824The PBROC is dedicated to the safe deployment of plant biotechnological advancements to Michigan and the world.
Internships and Careers
Our students find internship and career opportunities in:
- plant breeding and biotechnology companies
- universities and research institutes
- government – USDA, EPA, MDA
- international centers for crop improvement
- seed banks/germplasm repositories
See our Internships and Jobs page for more details on who hires our graduates.
Other Educational Opportunities and Resources
Opportunities for independent study, research projects, and lab experiences:
Most faculty offer undergraduate research experience opportunities. Information about ongoing projects can be found on individual faculty web pages above. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) also provides funding opportunities for undergraduate research.