Our Network

Graduate Students

Mark Guiltinan
1986
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Biology
University of California, Irvine
Thesis: The Isolation, Characterization and Intergeneric Transfer of Two Soybean (Glycine Max L.) Beta-tubulin Genes (TI Plasmid)

Charlene Chang
1993
Graduate Student, M.S. Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: Optimization of in vitro regeneration of geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum L.H. Bailey) for development of a genetic transformation system.

Dane Fisher
1995
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Genetics
Penn State
Thesis: Molecular genetic analysis of multiple isoforms of starch branching enzyme with emphasis on Zea mays L.; 

Xiping Niu
1995
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: DNA binding specificity and interactions with nucleosomal DNA of the plant bZip protein EmBP-1; 

Sashi Prabhakar
1995
Graduate Student, M.S. Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: cDNA cloning and characterization of a EmBP-1 homologue in maize (Zea mays): A basic leucine zipper transcription factor; 

Ming Gao
1996
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: Molecular characterization of starch branching enzyme genes, SbeI, Sbe2b and Sbe2a in maize (Zea mays L.);

Siela Maximova
1996
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: Development of a genetic transformation system for apple; 

Kyung-Nam Kim
1997
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: Isolation and promoter analysis of the genes for starch branching enzyme in maize 

Abdoulaye Traore
1999
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Food Science
Penn State
Thesis: Tissue culture and Transformation of cacao; 

Jennifer Tomscha
2001
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Horticulture
Penn State
Thesis: Phosphatase Secretion Mutants in Arabidopsis Thaliana

Jennifer Umpress
2001
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
Penn State
Thesis: Phosphorus stress response in Arabidopsis

Gabriela Antunez De Mayolo
2003
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Life Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Genetic engineering of Theobroma cacao and molecular studies on cacao defense responses; 

Melis Cakirer
2003
Graduate Student, B.S. and M.S. in Food Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Color as an indicator of flavanol content in the fresh seeds of Theobroma cacao L; 

J.D. Swanson
2005
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Biological Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Flower development in Theobroma cacao L.: An assessment of morphological and molecular conservation of floral development between Arabidopsis thaliana and Theobroma cacao; 

J.P. Marelli
2008
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Biological Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Solanum lycopersicum as a model system to study pathogenicity mechanisms of Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease of Theobroma cacao; 

Carter Miller
2009
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Biological Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: An Integrated In Vitro and Greenhouse Orthotropic Clonal Propagation System for Theobroma Cacao L.,

Huan Xia
2009
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Biological Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Structure and Function of Endosperm Starch from Maize Mutants Deficient in One or More Starch-branching Enzyme Isoform Activities;

Zi Shi
2010
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Biology
Penn State
Thesis: Functional analysis of Non Expressor of pr1 (NPR1) and its paralog NPR3 in Theobroma cacao and Arabidopsis thaliana. 

Rachel Melnick
2010
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Pathology
Penn State
Thesis: Endophytic <i>Bacillus</i> SPP. of <i>Theobroma Cacao</i>: Ecology and Potential for Biological Control of Cacao Diseases

Yi Liu
2010
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Integrated Biological Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Molecular Analysis of Genes Involved in the Synthesis of Proanthocyanidins in Theobroma in Cacao

Yufan Zhang
2014
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Plant Biology
Penn State
Thesis: Functional genomics of Theobroma cacao fatty acid biosynthesis: Convergence of fatty acid desaturation, embryo development, and defense signaling responses.

Sergio Florez
2015
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
Penn State
Thesis: Improving Plant Propogation by Manipulating the Genetic and Physical Environment in Tissue Culture

Fister Drew
2016
Graduate Student, Ph.D. in Genetics
Penn State
Thesis: Functional Genomics of the Theobroma Cacao Defense Response

Johann Restrepo Rubio
2020
Graduate Student, M.S. Plant Sciences
Penn State
Thesis: Characterization of the Function of Selected Phytophthora Megakarya Effector Proteins During Infection of Theobroma Cacao

Knollenberg Benjamin
2020
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Plant Biology
Penn State
Thesis: Characterization of Specialized Metabolites Involved in Black Pod Rot Resistance in Theobroma Cacao

Lina Tami- Barrera
2021
Graduate Student, M.S. Dual title in Rural Sociology and International Agriculture &amp; Development
Penn State
Thesis: Socioeconomic and Technological Factors Influencing Technology Adoption in Cacao Farms of Two Post-conflict Regions in Colombia

Winters Noah
2022
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Ecology
Penn State
Thesis: Evolutionary and Functional Genetics of Disease Resistance in Tehobroma cacao and its Wild Relatives

Alejandro Gil Aguirre
2022
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Education, Development, and Community Engagement
Penn State
Thesis: Technology adoption by cacao farmers in San Vicente de Chucuri, Santander: the role of Cadmium regulations

Jhony Benavides
2023
Graduate Student, Ph.D. dual-title in Soil Science and International Agriculture and Development
Penn State
Thesis: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Photogrammetry for Mapping Hydrologically Sensitive and Phosphorus Critical Source Areas

Zach Dashner
2024
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Horticulture
Penn State
Thesis: Novel Biotechnological Approaches to Understand And Reduce Cadmium in the Iron Uptake Pathway of Theobroma Cacao

Daniel Guarín
2024
Graduate Student, Ph.D. dual-title in Soil Science and International Agriculture and Development
Penn State
Thesis: The Interplay of Bedrock Geomorphology and Human Impact on Soil Health: A Multiscale Assessment

Jishnu Bhatt
2025
Graduate Student, Ph.D. of Philosophy
Penn State
Thesis: Enhancing the Efficiency of Somatic Embryogenesis and Genetic Transformation in Theobroma cacao L.

Francisco Miguel Menéndez Burns
2025
Graduate Student, Ph.D. Plant Biology
Penn State
Thesis: Genomics and Physiological Response to Cadmium and the Evolution of Heavy Metal ATPases in Theobroma cacao L.