The genetics class has begun an exciting original project in coordination with the Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP) program at Virginia Tech.  The project, coordinated by Dr. Erin Dolan and featuring the research program of Dr. Dorothea Tholl, both Virginia Tech professors, seeks to understand the roles of various genes in the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores.  Using the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana, the class will design and conduct original experiments and, by doing so, directly contribute to an active Virginia Tech research program.

On September 20 Dr. Dolan visited H-SC to introduce the project and help the students begin their A. thaliana plantings:

Dr. Dolan introduces the project to the genetics class

The class will compare the ability of a number of A. thaliana strains with mutations to key regulatory genes to assess which genes play the most significant role in defending the plants against herbivory against insects.

Preparing the soil for planting

Potting the soil

Planting the seeds

We will update how the class is doing with their research as the semester progresses.