Assistant Professor
About
Despite widespread variation in shape, size, and functionality, practically all cells in a multicellular organism share an identical genomic sequence. The Marand lab aims to understand how dynamic genome regulation governs the reproducible development of highly complex morphological structures in plants. The lab is particularly focused on mechanisms of transcription initiation, chromatin biology, and how alterations to these processes impact the patterns and magnitude of gene expression underlying molecular, cellular, and organismal phenotypic variation. To address these questions, the lab leverages state-of-the-art genomics methods and is dedicated to developing new experimental and computational approaches for resolving the molecular bases of cell identity and cell fate decisions. The lab is also interested in understanding molecular and cellular phenotypes through the lens of quantitative genetics and how evolution has shaped regulatory landscapes in plants.
Dr. Marand obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018. He was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Georgia from 2018-2023 where he was supported by an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology and an NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00).
