Our Network

Graduate Students

Jishnu    Bhatt    2025
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
Ph.D. Plant Biology    Penn State    
Thesis: Genomics and Physiological Response to Cadmium and the Evolution of Heavy Metal ATPases in Theobroma cacao L. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rachel     Melnick    2010    Penn State
Ph.D. in Plant Pathology
Thesis: Endophytic Bacillus SPP of Theobroma Cacao: Ecology and Potential for Biological Control of Cacao Diseases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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