BTI Co-hosts Greenhouse Curators Conference
Attendees of the 2016 Association of Education and Research Greenhouse Curators annual meeting in July will spend a morning at BTI learning about its history and research
Learning the Business: Industry Panel Advises PGS
Industry scientists visited BTI to give young researchers inside advice on pursuing a research career at a company
Celebrating the Life of Karl Maramorosch
The distinguished scientist left an incredible legacy of plant and insect discoveries and he will be missed by his many friends and colleagues.
Intern Anniversary Series: Grace Yu
Yu was a two-time intern in the PGRP, which confirmed her love of botany. She is now a research assistant at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University and has plans to attend graduate school.
BTI Intern Picks Up Awards on His Way to Berkeley
Patel is about to graduate from Cornell–and the Martin lab–to return to his native California to continue his career in plant science.
Intern Anniversary Series: Gwendolyn Beacham
Beacham returned to Ithaca this year to start her Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology at Cornell University,
Potato Plants Trigger Aboveground Defenses in Response to Tuber Attacks
Mimicking the effects of a Guatemalan tuber moth infestation in agricultural fields could increase potato yield and reduce pest damage.
BTI Researcher Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Jim Giovannoni, BTI professor, USDA-ARS research molecular biologist and Cornell University adjunct professor, is recognized by the National Academy of Sciences for his significant contributions to plant science.
Peter Cornelius of AlpInvest Partners Joins BTI Board
Cornelius, an expert in governance, global economic development and investing, will work closely with BTI’s Technology Transfer Office.
Intern Anniversary Series: Richard Craig
Craig is finishing up his B.S. in biological engineering and has plans to pursue a Ph.D. and conduct translational research.
Boyce Thompson Center Update: BTI Exhibit and Fall Opening
The transformation of the former Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) building at 1086 N. Broadway in Yonkers, NY is well under way.
Intern Anniversary Series: Shannon Murphy
Murphy will complete her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in May 2016 and will start her Ph.D. in microbiology at Cornell University in the fall.
How BTI Celebrates Earth Day
An important part of BTI’s mission is to advance scientific knowledge to protect the environment. Here are a few of the current projects at BTI that work to achieve that mission.
Klessig’s Research Featured by Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
The Spring 2016 issue of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation newsletter featured recent work by Dan Klessig. The newsletter highlighted his recent PLOS ONE paper on salicylic acid and human GAPDH.
Intern Anniversary Series: Hussain Ather
Ather is working towards his undergraduate degree in both physics and philosophy, with plans to pursue higher degrees in philosophy and computational neuroscience.
Intern Anniversary Series: Kaitlin McNally
McNally has finished her masters degree in plant science and is now pursuing her Ph.D. in plant-pathogen interactions at the University of Zurich.
The Night Class: BTI Opens Lab to Community College Course
A partnership with Tompkins Cortland Community College allows BTI to offer an evening biology class and gives grad students and postdocs an opportunity to teach their own class.
High-throughput CRISPR Vector Construction Using Tomato Hairy Roots
In a JOVE publication, postdoctoral researcher Thomas Jacobs uses tomato hairy roots to demonstrate how multiple CRISPR vectors can be constructed in parallel in a single cloning reaction.
Intern Anniversary Series: Cristina Zambrana-Echevarria
Zambrana-Echevarria is about to defend her masters degree at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, on genetic diversity in papaya ringspot virus on the island, and deciding between Ph.D. programs at U.S. universities.
BTI Newsletter – Labnotes
The latest issue of BTI Labnotes is here. Don’t miss an issue. Sign up for our monthly newsletter today.
Discovery Shows Parallels between Plant and Human Immune Systems
Research from the Klessig lab shows that HMGB3 signals to the plant immune system when tissues are damaged and makes plants more resistant to certain infections.
Intern Anniversary Series: Andrew Gipson
Currently, Gipson is pursuing his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University with aspirations to introduce new generations of college students to research at a liberal arts college.
Summer Teacher Institute Receives Record Number of Applicants
The Education and Outreach group faces the tough task of selecting a group of motivated teachers that serve diverse populations of students.
Intern Anniversary Series: Joe Groom
Groom is currently working on a Ph.D. in genetics at the University of Georgia and plans to pursue a career in a national laboratory.
BTI Hosts Visit from My Brother’s Keeper Group
The group from Team I.M.P.A.C.T. of Rochester, NY, exposed young men to potential careers in the plant sciences.
Threatened Plant Gets Boost from BTI Biotech Lab
Woodland agrimony is so rare in New York that there weren’t enough plants to study why it is in decline. The Van Eck lab used tissue culture techniques to multiply the plant.
BTI Exhibit Planned for Renovated Yonkers Building
Visitors to the soon-to-be reopened Boyce Thompson Center in Yonkers, New York, will receive a dose of BTI history.
Jonathan Gomes Selman Recognized as Distinguished Youth
Tompkins County has awarded Gomes Selman, a 2015 high school intern at BTI, its Distinguished Youth award for his numerous academic and volunteer commitments.
Announcing Our Name Shortening
Boyce Thompson Institute is proud to announce that it is expanding its brand, while shortening its name.
Roy Park Jr. Enhances Family Commitment to BTI
Park honors his father’s legacy through his BTI board service and the Triad Foundation’s Plants and Human Health grant program.
BTI Faculty Listed in World’s “Most Influential Scientific Minds”
Giovannoni and Kochian both ranked in the top 1 percent of researchers publishing in plant and animal science.
BTI Alum Vijay Joshi Joins AgriLife Research Center
His experience at BTI created a foundation for future work investigating metabolic pathways.
The Herbivores Dilemma
Jander lab members investigate the chemical defenses that young corn plants use to fight off simultaneous attacks from hungry insects.
BTI Named One of 2016’s Best Companies to Work for in New York State
BTI has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York State for 2016.
And the Winners Are…
BTI announces the winning proposals submitted to the Triad Foundation’s Plants and Human Health grant program.
New Teachers Get a Jump on Lesson Planning from BTI Workshop
Early career teachers get an introduction to BTI’s inquiry-based STEM activities at the Cornell Institute for Biology Teachers.
Board Chair Laura Philips Makes an Impact at BTI
Laura Philips, the CEO and co-founder of Spheryx Inc., brings her science background, business acumen and enthusiasm to BTI board.
Researchers Uncover Core Set of Genes for Plant-Fungal Symbiosis
BTI researchers used a genome comparison approach to identify genes necessary for beneficial plant-fungal relationships, which may lead to better crop plants that require less fertilizer input.
BTI Scientists Flock to Annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference
BTI researchers will present current research on the Sol Genomics Network, using CRISPR to edit genomes, the whitefly genome and others.
Education and Outreach Sends Out Packages for Good Little Students
Kits put together by Education and Outreach provide materials to enrich STEM classrooms.
Favorite Discoveries from 2015
2015 was an exciting year for BTI. Here are just a few of our scientific discoveries from the past year.
Aphids Balance Their Diets by Rebuilding Plant Amino Acids
Aphids thrive on a high-sugar diet, thanks to bacterial partners that help them breakdown plant sap and build essential amino acids from scratch.
Rigas Steps Down as VP of Development and Communications
BTI thanks Rigas for her transformative work in communicating the institute’s scientific mission and wishes her well in her next endeavor.
Harrison Receives Grant for Phosphate Biosensor Research
Fluorescent proteins will allow researchers to track phosphate movement through cells in real time.
Alliance for Science launches hunger conversation at UN
The Alliance for Science converged on the United Nations Nov. 17 to launch a global conversation about ending world hunger. As the Manhattan skyline twinkled in the background, the Alliance’s 25 newly graduated global leadership fellows mingled with diplomats,...
Aspirin Targets Key Protein in Neurodegenerative Diseases
The active ingredient in aspirin blocks an enzyme that triggers cell death in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, offering hope for novel treatments.
Position Opening: VP, Development and Communications
BTI, an independent research institute on the Cornell University campus, invites applications for the position of Vice President, Development and Communications.
Imagine a Summer of Scientific Discovery at BTI!
The Boyce Thompson Institute is now accepting applications for summer internships in Plant Genome Research and Bioinformatics!
Dean Boor Elected to AAAS
BTI board member Kathryn Boor will be honored by AAAS in February at their annual meeting.
“Good” and “Bad” Bacteria in the Fight against Citrus Greening Disease
The bacterium believed to cause citrus greening disease creates multiple changes in both the Asian citrus psyllid that carries it and the beneficial bacteria that live within the insect.