Guiltinan-Maximova Lab
We perform research to discover new knowledge and technologies useful for the improvement of crops, with a long-term vision to contribute to poverty and hunger alleviation, development of sustainable agricultural systems, and the reduction of the impacts of agriculture on climate change.
We believe that Agricultural Biotechnology is one of the best tools that can be used to positively impact these needs on a meaningful scale. We have a focus on the use of Arabidopsis and other model species to advance research with crops such as maize, wheat, soybean, apple, Theobroma cacao, (The Chocolate Tree) and Jatropha curcus, a biofuel feedstock plant. Our current focus is exclusively on cacao.
Our Core Research Areas:
- Plant Development
- Regulation of Gene Expression
- Mechanisms of Plant Defense Responses
- Key Metabolic Pathways
- Genetic Transformation
- Starch Biosynthesis
- Crop Improvement
Dr. Guiltinan and Maximova collaborate on most of the projects in the lab and work together to supervise and administer all of the projects. The lab has been active at Penn State since 1991 as part of the Penn State Department of Horticulture. The lab is currently housed in the Plant Science Center on the 4th floor of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Building.
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Latest News
October 16, 2023
Grants Awarded to Penn State Faculty for Tropical Ecosystems Research in Belize
Three projects have been awarded seed grants as part of the Penn State-Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education initiative. Faculty and students from Penn State will research agricultural and ecological sustainability, preservation of tropical rainforest ecosystems, and sustainable development in Belize.
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October 2, 2023
Cadmium contamination in cacao farms of Piura, North Peru: A comprehensive assessment of geogenic and anthropogenic sources and implications for future production
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that poses a threat to food safety via the ingestion of food products with Cd. The uptake of Cd by the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) has gained attention after the European Union set limits for Cd in chocolate products, the main commodity produced from cacao beans. In this study, we analyzed levels of Cd in soils and plant tissues across five cacao farms in the Piura region of Peru to identify the origins of Cd accumulation, and the natural and human factors controlling its concentration
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October 2, 2023
Evaluation of cacao projects in Colombia: The case of the rural Productive Partnerships Project (PAAP)
Identifying the effectiveness of agricultural interventions is a challenge faced by many international aid initiatives. This article reports on our efforts to document the success of agricultural aid interventions.
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August 26, 2021
Study of structural variants in cacao genomes yields clues about plant diversity
An exhaustive and painstaking comparison of the genomes of multiple strains of the cacao tree by a team of researchers has provided insights into the role genomic structural variants play in the regulation of gene expression and chromosome evolution, giving rise to the differences within populations of the plant.
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