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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