News - Boyce Thompson Institute

Aug 2025 20

Meet Abby Stathis: Exploring the Microbial World of Plants

Abby Stathis is a rising junior at Colby College, where she majors in Biology: Biochemistry (Biology with a Biochemistry concentration) and English: Creative Writing (English with a Creative Writing concentration). She is spending her summer deepening her research...

An individual in a white lab coat, blue nitrile gloves, and protective goggles smiles while leaning on a laboratory bench. Colorful racks of test tubes and pipettes are arranged in front, with lab shelves and equipment visible in the background.

Aug 2025 20

Meet Tetianna Smith-Drysdale: Digging Deep on Fungi and Finding Her Path in Science

As she enters her senior year at the University of Oregon, Environmental Science major Tetianna Smith-Drysdale has spent the summer expanding her research experience and scientific understanding in Andre Kessler’s lab at Cornell University through the REU program...

A researcher in a white lab coat and blue gloves sits at a lab bench, smiling at the camera while preparing plant samples. Lab equipment, including a digital scale, containers, and glassware, are visible in the background.

Aug 2025 20

Cultivating the Next Generation of Scientists: BTI’s Summer Research Experience

This summer, the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) welcomed 34 undergraduate students and three high school students, offering them a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the life of a researcher. Now in its 25th year, BTI’s National Science...

Aug 2025 20

Meet Paul Kuehnert: From Woodworking to Plant Science

When Paul Kuehnert talks about his path to plant science, it’s clear that curiosity has been the driving force.“I am a non-traditional student who has recently returned to school and have completed an associate’s degree in Horticulture from Finger Lakes Community...

A researcher sits beside a microscope setup in a laboratory, smiling at the camera. A computer monitor behind them displays experimental data.

Aug 2025 12

BTI, Meiogenix and FFAR Announce $2 Million Breakthrough Tomato Genetics Collaboration

Research Lays the Foundation for Breakthroughs in Global Food SecurityIn a landmark $2 million initiative, the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and biotechnology company Meiogenix have launched a collaboration to develop drought- and disease-resistant...

Aug 2025 8

Decoding Sweetpotato DNA: New Research Reveals Surprising Ancestry

The sweetpotato feeds millions worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where its natural resilience to climate extremes makes it crucial for food security. But this humble root vegetable has guarded its genetic secrets for decades. Now, scientists...

May 2025 1

Transforming the Future by Making Maize Bioengineering More Accessible

Looking around, you might not realize it, but corn is everywhere. In one form or another, it’s in the cereals in your cupboard, the cosmetics and medicines in your bathroom, the kibble in your pet’s food bowl, and the gas tank of your car. Corn, or...

B73 maize seedlings, ready for leaf whorl transformation.

Apr 2025 21

How Bacteria Use Sneaky Chemistry to Disable Plant Defenses

In the microscopic battlefield of plant-microbe interactions, plants are constantly fighting off invading bacteria. New research reveals just how clever these bacterial invaders can be.Plants, like humans, have evolved sophisticated immune systems to...

petri dish with bacteria on a background of green leaves

Mar 2025 10

Ascribe Bio’s Phytalix® Achieves Stunning Success Against Devastating Rice Disease

We at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) celebrate the remarkable achievement highlighted in Ascribe Bio’s recent press release: the groundbreaking success of its biological crop protection product Phytalix® in combating Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) in...

Jan 2025 17

Cultivating Innovation: A Closer Look at BTI and Zymtronix’s Phenotyping Collaboration

In a recently concluded project, the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Zymtronix teamed up to conduct cutting-edge research using BTI's state-of-the-art phenotyping facility, PhenoSight.The LeafyLook ProjectThe research, dubbed the LeafyLook Project,...

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