Plant Science and Biotechnology
M.S., M.P.S. & Ph.D.

Plants, as the base for ecological food chains, serve as the structural and functional foundation of natural and managed systems. The study of plant science and biotechnology provides opportunity in a broad range of specialties fundamental to the understanding of plants and their interaction with other organisms and for specializing in plant biotechnology. Emphasis is on forests and related plant systems. Current research interests include: dynamics of plant communities as affected by man and the environment; mechanisms of plant succession; epidemiology of forest and urban tree diseases; taxonomy, physiology, growth and ultrastructure of fungi; heritability of wood properties and disease resistance of trees; biochemistry and physiology of plant stress response; photosynthesis; mycorrhizae; plant reproductive biology; genetic engineering; transformation; molecular evolution; phylogenetics; taxonomy; plant-pathogen interactions, tissue culture and study of ancient DNA.

Participating Faculty

• John Castello; jdcastel@.syr.edu
  Virology
• Martin Dovciak; mdovciak@esf.edu
  Plant Diversity
• Danilo Fernando; fernando@esf.edu
  Plant Reproductive Biology, Plant Development, Plant Diversity
• Charles Hall; chall@esf.edu
  Systems Ecology
• Thomas Horton; trhorton@esf.edu
  Ecology, Fungal Communities, Mycorrhizal Relationships
• Robin Kimmerer; rwkimmer@esf.edu
  Bryoecology, Restoration Ecology
• Annette Kretzer; kretzera@esf.edu
  Molecular Biology, Evolution
• Donald Leopold; djleopold@esf.edu
  Dendrology, Forest and Wetland Ecology
• Gregory McGee; ggmcgee@esf.edu
  Plant Ecology
• James Nakas; jpnakas@syr.edu
  Microbiology
• William Powell; wapowell@esf.edu
  Plant Pathology, Molecular Biology
• Lawrence Smart; lbsmart@esf.edu
  Plant Physiology, Molecular Biology