Speaker: Xuehua Zhong, professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis, Dean’s Distinguished Professorial Scholar, and program director in plant and microbial biosciences

Title: Epigenetic regulation of development plasticity and environmental adaptation

Abstract: The Zhong laboratory is interested in how cellular machines sense extrinsic and intrinsic cues and alter chromatin landscapes to generate adaptive responses. We focus on epigenetic regulation by exploring how chromatin dynamics is established, maintained, erased, and inherited over time, and how altered chromatin modifications lead to improved plant traits and environmental adaptation. We combine functional genomics and high-throughput proteomics and genomics techniques together with traditional genetic and biochemical tools to understand the function and mechanism of epigenetic processes and develop novel chromatin-based technology for biomass production and agricultural improvement.

Host: Michelle Guo, genetics, development and cell biology assistant professor