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Hazen Lab

 

 

   VISION: In spite of a dramatic increase in human population, the number of cultivated acres has remained relatively constant over the last fifty years; thus plant breeders and agronomists have made significant contributions to mitigating human impact on the environment.

    
     We seek a greater understanding of gene regulation and the mechanisms behind natural genetic variation that are potentially applicable to crop improvement, either through enlightened dissection of traits in crops or transgenic modification. In other words, we want to add to plant breeder tool kits. The outcome of plant science research should provide a greater ability to “tune” plant phenotype for the purposes of cultivar improvement.

    

     Our main thrust, supported by the Office of Science (BER), U.S. Department of Energy, is a genomic systems approach to mapping transcription regulatory circuits in dicots (arabidopsis) and grasses (brachypodium). The target phenotypes are plant biofuel feedstock properties. See these two seminars by Chris Somerville for the argument for biofuels.