About
Dr. Schiefelbein's group is studying root epidermis development in the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The formation of the root epidermis represents a simple system for the study of cell differentiation, for the cells can be easily examined and manipulated throughout their development. The epidermis is composed of only two cell types that differentiate in a position-dependent manner, and mutants affecting root epidermis formation can be easily identified and propagated. Molecular genetic approaches are currently focused on two phases of root epidermis development: cell type specification and cell morphogenesis. Genes have been cloned that affect each of these processes, and are being used to analyze the spatial and temporal regulation of these processes and to uncover additional components of these developmental pathways.
Dr. Schiefelbein received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1987. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan State University from 1987 to 1989. He was the recipient of a National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award in 1992.
Field(s) of Study
- Molecular and Developmental Genetics
Areas of Focus
- Development
- Plant Molecular Biology
