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.
BTI Scientists Envision the “Future of Food”
What will your dinner plate look like in 2050? With discoveries from the Boyce Thompson Institute, future crops may have more nutrients and greater resistance to insects, drought and disease.
GOBii Workshop Seeks Solutions to Big Data Problem
The GOBII project gathered researchers from breeding centers around the world to make a plan to develop the architecture for a genomics database for five staple crops.
The “Speck”-ter Haunting New York Tomato Fields
The BTI tomato field experienced a damaging outbreak of bacterial speck disease this summer, but BTI’s Greg Martin has identified genetic regions in a wild tomato species that may make future varieties immune to these devastating bacterial strains.
Why Teachers Spend Their Vacation Days at BTI
Ongoing relationships with teachers enable Education and Outreach to host valuable professional development workshops on plant and insect science for dedicated teachers.
A-plus Potatoes May Lead to More Nutritious Cassava Crops
A technique to enhance beta-carotene levels in potatoes and cassava may one day help alleviate vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.
BTI Receives Grant to Support Development of Cold-Tolerant Corn
Researchers in the Stern laboratory will investigate potential benefits of “high-Rubisco” corn plants, under a new USDA-funded project.
Burke Brings Political Perspective to BTI Board
“Plant science is a great topic because people are much more aware of the effects of climate change and the challenges of food and energy production right now,” says Burke.
Better Biofuels: Harrison Collaborates on Sorghum Project
Maria Harrison will participate in a $13.5 million, multi-institution systems biology project with Daniel Schachtman of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop sorghum that is more drought resistant and uses nitrogen more efficiently.
$6.5 Million Grant May Lead to Disease-Resistant Cucurbits
A consortium of 20 researchers is using advanced genomic techniques to accelerate the development of disease-resistant varieties of cucurbit crops. BTI Associate Professor Zhangjun Fei will lead the bioinformatics and genomics part of the initiative.
Van Eck Gives Insight into Genetic Engineering to Cornell Students
Students in Cornell University’s course, The GMO Debate: Science and Society, visited a genetic engineering laboratory at Boyce Thompson Institute, courtesy of Assistant Professor Joyce Van Eck and postdoctoral researcher Alex Amaro, Stern Lab.
Invisible Viruses in Everyday Food
Most people get a daily dose of virus in the form of plant or insect viruses that are harmless to humans. Consuming the occasional plant or insect virus should be the least of our worries.
2015 Science Symposium Centers on Sustainability
The Boyce Thompson Institute gathered on Sept. 24 for its annual symposium to hear talks with the theme: Envisioning Our Role in Agricultural and Ecological Sustainability.
New Cases of Citrus Greening Disease Emphasize Dire Need for Solutions
The detection of 10 new citrus greening disease cases in California citrus trees weighed heavily on attendees of a recent citrus greening research meeting.
Cornell Nanoscale Facility Seeks Collaborations for Nano-agriculture
The Cornell Nanoscale Facility would like to expand their collaborations with plant scientists.
Scientists Unravel Root Cause of Plant Twists and Turns
BTI researchers Harrison and Floss collaborate with Cornell physicists to understand how roots grow around barriers in the soil, while still heading down.
New Study Provides Key Insights into Aspirin’s Disease-Fighting Abilities
Researchers have found that salicylic acid targets the activities of HMGB1, an inflammatory protein associated with a wide variety of diseases, offering hope that more powerful aspirin-like drugs may be developed.
Kochian Named to Agricultural Research Service Science Hall of Fame
In recognition of his significant contribution to the understanding of crop mineral nutrition, Leon V. Kochian was honored today at the ARS National Agricultural Library.
Hartz Plans to Keep BTI and Ithaca Sustainable
Hartz serves on the BTI Board of Directors where he advises and oversees the financial and administrative aspects of BTI. He also acts informally as an Ithaca representative, maintaining the strong connection between BTI and the local community.
Cairo Archer Wants to Level the Growing Field
“There is such a disconnect between what the average person knows about plant science and what we do in the lab here…I think it’s really important to be able to talk to anyone about what I do in a way that they understand.”
New Time for Monday Morning Seminars
The Fall Monday Morning Seminar series began Monday, August 31 at 9:30 AM. Featuring two talks from Armando Bravo from the Harrison Lab and BTI Science Writer, Patricia Waldron.
Patent Law for PhDs
BTI’s Postgraduate Society explored intellectual property law with attorney—and former biochemist and cell biologist —Elysa Goldberg, at a recent professional development session.
Key Protein for Plant-Fungal Symbiosis Discovered
Harrison Lab has discovered that plants use EXO70I to form a membrane around the fungus in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses, beneficial associations where plants receive phosphate from fungi in exchange for carbohydrates.
5 Questions with Pamela Ronald
Pamela Ronald, a rice geneticist at the University of California, Davis, and a member of the Boyce Thompson Institute Scientific Advisory Board, “I support genetic tools and farming practices that enhance sustainable agriculture.”
Jonathan Gomes Selman Explores the Power of Computer Science
Gomes Selman set out to create a computer program to improve the efficiency of a genome editing technique called CRISPR/Cas9.. “I’ve grown to really enjoy coding and algorithm design.”
From Flower to Fruit: Study Reveals Details of Tomato Formation
BTI Researchers pinpointed which genes are important at different stages of tomato fruit development by monitoring how gene expression changed in the first four days after a flower becomes pollinated.
Giving Is Gorges at BTI, August 28, 2015
BTI will be part of Tompkins County’s first ever 24 hour local online giving day. All funds received by BTI on this day will go to support the high school summer intern program at BTI.
Student Symposium Caps Off 2015 Summer Intern Program
“My experience was really valuable…It confirmed the fact that I want to do science…science doesn’t work a lot of the time…it’s having the motivation and determination to tackle problems that you’re always going to come across.” Juan G
Plant Science Research Network Launches
To promote innovative research and collaboration, the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and the American Society of Plant Biologists are pleased to announce the formation of the Plant Science Research Network.
Teachers Become Students at BTI’s Curriculum Development Projects
Fourteen teachers arrived at BTI from schools as close as Ithaca and as far as Anaheim, Calif. to attend the BTI Plant Biology Curriculum Development Projects (CDP) Teacher Institute July 13-17, 2015
ART@BTI: Botanical Mandalas by Daniel McPheeters
On display are a selection of the hundreds of botanical mandalas Daniel McPheeters has created. “I have always been fascinated by patterns and symmetries, particularly the mandala…I love the natural forms of flowers and foliage.”
Teachers Share Strategies for Inspiring Tomorrow’s STEM Researchers
Science teachers planted switchgrass seeds, sampled algae-glycerin soap, and participated in roleplaying activities at the Bioenergy and Bioproducts Education Program’s National STEM conference last week in Horseheads, N.Y.
Chemicals from Parasitic Worms Boost Plant Immunity
When plants detect pheromones given off by nematode worms, they activate their immune system for protection. The chemical warning not only triggers defenses against nematodes, but also against bacterial, fungal and viral infection.
Dilworth Becomes First VP for Gender Equality at OIST
In her new position, Dilworth aims to increase the representation and advancement of women at all levels in the university and to create a work environment free of gender-based biases.
From Haybales to Biotech and Back
Summer intern Tawni Middleton grew up on a hay farm in Colorado and plans to make her way back to the fields, by way of a career in plant biotechnology.
Plant Breeding Initiative Kicks Off with New Space at BTI
BTI officially unveils new state-of-the art facility for bioinformatics project.
BTI Welcomes New Teaching Lab Coordinator
Becky Sims will coordinate the teacher training institutes, develop and ship plant science experiment kits to classrooms nationwide and provide support for the Tompkins Cortland Community College biology courses taught at BTI.
Groundbreaking News: Former Home of BTI to Undergo Renovation
Professor Emeritus Alan Renwick attended the groundbreaking ceremony and spoke with the developer about the original BTI building’s history in Yonkers.
Plant Experts Discuss New Seeds and Old Seed Catalogs
Professor James Giovannoni, “There’s a great deal of diversity that’s still available from these varieties that potentially have a lot of useful traits, including tolerance to stresses and important fruit traits.”
The Perks of Being a Mentor
Summer internships at BTI let students try on the life of a scientist for a few months, while attending a variety of talks, trainings and social events. But what’s in it for the mentors, who painstakingly train them?
Scientists Find New Tool for Pathogen to Pillage Plants
“The more we understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the infection process and in plant resistance, the more effective we’re going to be in breeding resistant crops,” said Professor Greg Martin.