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
September 16, 2024
Nine researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows
Nine Penn State researchers have been named fellows of the Institute of Energy and the Environment for 2024. The program recognizes and assists the exceptional achievements and unparalleled research impacts of highly successful researchers in the areas of energy and the environment. Nominees for the fellowship were submitted by the University community.
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June 26, 2024
Researchers compile Cacao Gene Atlas to help plant breeders boost chocolate tree
Cacao, the chocolate tree, is one of the world’s most important economic crops, generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually. However, cocoa is affected by a range of pests and diseases, with some estimates putting losses as high as 30% to 40% of global production. Now, a team led by researchers at Penn State has created a genetic information resource to help plant breeders develop resistant strains of cacao that can be grown sustainably in its native Amazon and elsewhere, such as the tropical latitudes of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
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June 7, 2024
Penn State Cacao and Chocolate Research Network Host Agroforest Workshop
A collaborative effort between Penn State University and the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) inspired a successful workshop that charted future interdisciplinary activities on developing agroforestry systems for sustainable and climate-resilient solutions and ecosystem conservation in Latin America.
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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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