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Dr.
Candace H. Haigler- Professor
of Crop Science and Plant Biology
Cellulose Biology and Biotechnology
Research Interests:
The research in my laboratory centers on cellulose synthesis and cotton fiber development. Cellulose is the world's most abundant renewable material, and it exists within plant cell walls as crystalline fibrils. These are formed by a membrane-associated protein complex that acts as a nanoscale fibril spinning machine. We are interested in filling in the many gaps about how this fascinating and important natural manufacturing process is regulated by the cell. The fundamental new knowledge arising from our research is applicable to the production of next-generation value-added fiber and biomass crops through genetic engineering or marker-assisted selection.
We are especially interested in cotton fiber, the world’s most important natural textile fiber, because its unique secondary wall contains almost 100% cellulose. We unify molecular biology, cell biology (including advanced imaging methods), and biochemistry to reveal new mechanisms regulating cotton fiber development. We focus on secondary wall cellulose synthesis and novel mechanisms regulating cotton fiber elongation: these processes are both critical determinants of the fiber quality characteristics that are important to the textile industry. We collaborate with Dr. Niki Robertson in the development and use of virus induced gene silencing as a faster means of testing gene function in cotton and with the Plant Transformation Lab (Drs. George Allen and Sergei Krasnyanski) to improve the efficiency of cotton stable transformation. We also use arabidopsis as a model plant for functional genomics. Our research on cotton fiber, which is funded by Cotton Incorporated, Cary, NC, and the National Science Foundation Plant Genome Program (Jeff Chen, P.I., David Stelly, Brian Scheffler, and C. Haigler, co-PIs), is an integral part of cotton fiber becoming a higher value material grown from different genetic stocks for product-specific requirements.
The lab is also part of the “Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation”, an Energy Frontier Research Center led by Dr. Daniel Cosgrove at Pennsylvania State University and funded by the Department of Energy from 2009 – 2014 (www.cals.lignocellulose.org). Along with collaborators at NC State, Dr. Alex Smirnov and Dr. Yaroslava Yingling, we use advanced transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with genetic and biochemical analysis, protein structure determination and computational modeling, and nanobioengineering to probe the structure and function of the cellulose synthesizing complex. This work will interface with diverse experimental approaches of other collaborators in the Center to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the rules for assembly of lignocellulosic biomass, a main target for production of renewable biofuels and advanced materials in the future carbohydrate-based economy.
Teaching Expertise:
At NCSU:
Plant Form and Function, discussion and laboratory, for graduate students.
At Texas Tech, I taught
Developmental Plant Anatomy for advanced undergraduate and graduate students,
Research Techniques in Electron Microscopy for graduate students (and occasional
advanced undergraduate students), Introductory Biology of Plants for non-major
undergraduate students, a portion of Integrated Science for Honors students,
and Tech Transitions for freshmen students.
Current
Projects:
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Molecular genetic/genomic analysis of the control of cotton fiber development with emphasis on secondary wall cellulose synthesis.
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Reverse genetics in Arabidopsis as a tool for understanding function of potential novel proteins involved in cellulose synthesis.
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Development of microwave-based methods for accurate electron microscopic immunolocalization in whole Arabidopsis tissues.
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Immunolocalization of proteases in differentiating Arabidopsis xylem.
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In collaboration with colleagues, N. Robertson and J. Brown, development of a virus-induced gene silencing system for cotton.
Selected Recent Publications:
Taliercio E, Haigler CH (2011) The effect of calcium on early fiber elongation in cotton ovule culture. Journal of Cotton Science 15: 154-161
Joshi CP, Thammannagowda S, Fujino T, Gou J-Q, Avci U, Haigler CH, McDonnell LM, Mansfield SD, Menghesa B, Carpita NC, Harris D, DeBolt S, Peter GF (2011) Perturbation of wood cellulose synthesis causes pleiotropic effects in transgenic aspen. Molecular Plant 4: 331-345,doi: 10.1093/mp/ssq081.
Santa-Maria MC, Yencho CG, Haigler CH, Thompson WF, Kelly RM, Sosinski B (2011) Starch self-processing in transgenic sweetpotato roots expressing a hyperthermophilic alpha-amylase. Biotechnology Progress 27: 351-359
Rapp RA, Haigler CH, Flagel L, Hovav RH, Udall JA, Wendel JF (2010) Gene expression in developing fibers of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) was massively altered by domestication. BMC Biology 2010, 8:139, doi:10.1186/1741-7007-8-139 Open access article; a Highly Accessed Article. An accompanying commentary article by BL Gross and JL Strasburg is open access.
Idris AM, Tuttle JR, Robertson D, Haigler CH, Brown JK (2010) Differential cotton leaf crumple virus-VIGS-mediated gene silencing and viral genome localization in different Gossypium hirsutum genetic backgrounds. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 75: 13-22, doi:10.1016/j.pmpp.2010.07.002
Paterson AH, Rong J-K, Gingle AR, Chee PW, Dennis ES, Llewellyn D, Dure LS III, Haigler C, Myers GO, Peterson DG, ur Rahman M, Zafar Y, Reddy U, Saranga Y, Stewart JM, Udall JA, Waghmare VN, Wendel JF, Wilkins TA, Wright RJ, Elsayed EZ, Hafez EE, Zhu J (2010) Sequencing and utilization of the Gossypium genomes. Tropical Plant Biology 3: 71-74, DOI 10.1007/s12042-010-9051-4. This article was featured on the cover of the journal.
Livingston DP III, Tuong TD, Gadi SRV, Haigler CH, Gelman RS, Cullen JM (2010) 3D volumes constructed from pixel-based images by digitally clearing plant and animal tissue. Journal of Microscopy 240: 122-129doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2010.03393.x. This article was featured on the cover of the journal.
Betancur L, Singh B, Rapp RA, Wendel JF, Marks MD, Roberts AR, Haigler CH (2010) Phylogenetically distinct cellulose synthase genes support secondary wall thickening in arabidopsis shoot trichomes and cotton fiber. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 52: 205-220, DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7909.2010.00934.x. Invited article for the special issue, THE PLANT CELL SURFACE. Open Access Article.
Singh B, Avci U, Eichler Inwood SE, Grimson MJ, Landgraf J, Mohnen D, Sørensen I, Wilkerson CG, Willats WGT, Haigler CH (2009) A specialized outer layer of the primary cell wall joins elongating cotton fibers into tissue-like bundles. Plant Physiology 150: 684-699. doi: 10.1104/pp.109.135459.This article was featured on the cover of the journal. Open Access Article:
Singh B, Cheek HD, Haigler CH (2009) A synthetic auxin (NAA) suppresses secondary wall cellulose synthesis and enhances elongation in cultured cotton fiber, Plant Cell Reports 28: 1023-1032. doi: 10.1007/s00299-009-0714-2
Haigler CH, Roberts AW (2009) Biogenesis of cellulose nanofibrils by a biological nanomachine, In The Nanoscience and Technology of Renewable Biomaterials (Lucian Lucia and Orlando Rojas, eds.) Wiley-Blackwell Publishing: Oxford UK, 368 pp.
Haigler CH, Singh B, Wang G, Zhang D (2009) Genomics of cotton fiber secondary wall deposition and cellulose biogenesis. In: Paterson AH (ed.) Genetics and Genomics of Cotton, Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models 3, Springer Science + Business Media, LLC: New York, pp. 385-417, DOI 10.1007/978-0-387-70810-216.
Marks MD, Betancur L, Gilding E, Chen F, Bauer S, Wenger J, Dixon RA, Haigler CH (2008) A new method for isolating large quantities of Arabidopsis trichomes for transcriptome, cell wall and other types of analyses. Plant Journal 56: 483-492 (doi: 10.111/j/1365-313X.2008/03611.x, a Technical Advance article, with cover picture).
Avci U, Petzold, HE, Ismail IO, Beers EP, Haigler CH (2008) Cysteine proteases XCP1 and XCP2 aid micro-autolysis within the intact central vacuole during xylogenesis in Arabidopsis roots. Plant Journal 56: 303-313,doi: 10.111/j.1365-313X.2008.03592.x.
Tuttle JR, Idris AM, Brown JK, Haigler CH, Robertson D (2008) Geminivirus-mediated gene silencing from cotton leaf crumple virus is enhanced by low temperature in Gossypium hirsutum, Plant Physiology 148: 41-50 (doi: 10.1104/pp.108.123869, a Breakthrough Technologies article).
Chen ZJ, Scheffler BE, Dennis E, Triplett B, Zhang T, Chen X, Stelly DM, Rabinowicz PD, Town C,, Arioli T, Brubaker C, Cantrell R, Lacape J-M, Ulloa M, Chee P, Gingle AR, Haigler CH, Percy R, Saha S, Wilkins T, Wright RJ, Deynze AV, Zhu Y, Yu S, Guo W, Abdurakhmonov I, Katageri I, Rahman M, Zafar Y, Yu JZ, Kohel RJ, Wendel J, and Paterson AH (2007) Towards sequencing cotton (Gossypium) genomes. Plant Physiology 145: 1303-1310.
Zhao C, Avci U, Grant EH, Haigler CH, and Beers EP (2007) XND1, a member of the NAC domain family in Arabidopsis thaliana, negatively regulates lignocellulose production and programmed cell death in xylem. Plant Journal 53: 425-436 (This article was featured on the cover of the journal).
Haigler CH, Singh B, Zhang D, Hwang S, Wu C, Cai WX, Hozain M, Kang W, Kiedaisch B, Strauss RE, Hequet EF, Wyatt BG, Jividen GM, Holaday AS. 2007. Transgenic cotton over-producing spinach sucrose phosphate synthase showed enhanced leaf sucrose synthesis and improved fiber quality under controlled environmental conditions. Plant Molecular Biology 63: 815-83
Haigler, C.H. 2007. Substrate supply for cellulose synthesis and its stress sensitivity in the cotton fiber. In: Brown RM Jr, Saxena I (eds) Cellulose: Molecular and Structural Biology, Springer: New York, pp. 145 – 166.
Udall JA, Swanson JM, Haller K, Rapp RA, Sparks ME, Hatfield J, Yu Y, Wu Y, Dowd C, Arpat AB, Sickler BA, Wilkins TA, Guo JY, Chen XY, Scheffler J, Talierco E, Turley R, McFadden H, Payton P, Allen R, Zhang D, Haigler C, Wilkerson C, Suo J, Schulze SR, Pierce ML, Essenberg M, Kim H, Llewellyn DJ, Dennis ES, Kudrna D, Wing R, Paterson AH, Soderlund C, Wendel JF (2006) A global assembly of cotton ESTs. Genome Research 16: 441-50.
Haigler, C.H. 2006. Establishing the cellular and biophysical context of cellulose synthesis. In: T. Hayashi, ed. The Science and Lore of the Plant Cell Wall: Biosynthesis, Structure and Function, Brown Walker Press: Boca Raton, FL, pp. 97 – 105.
Singh B, Haley L, Nightengale J, Kang WH, Haigler CH, Holaday AS. 2005. Long-term night chilling of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum, does not result in reduced CO2 assimilation. Functional Plant Biology 32: 655-666
Haigler, C.H., Zhang, D., Wilkerson, C.G. 2005. Biotechnological improvement of cotton fiber maturity. Physiologia Plantarum 124: 285-294.
Roberts, A.W., Frost, A.O., Roberts, E.M., and Haigler, C.H. 2004. Roles of microtubules and cellulose microfibril assembly in the localization of secondary cell wall synthesis in developing tracheary elements. Protoplasma 224: 217-229.
Martin, L.K. and C.H.
Haigler. 2004. Cool temperature hinders flux from glucose to sucrose during
cellulose synthesis in secondary wall stage cotton fibers. Cellulose 11:
339-349.
Zhang, D., M. Hrmova, C.-H. Wan, C. Wu, J. Balzen, W. Cai, J. Wang, L.D.
Densmore, G.B. Fincher, H. Zhang and C.H. Haigler. 2004. Members of a new
group of chitinase-like genes are expressed preferentially in cotton cells
with secondary walls. Plant Molecular Biology 54:353-372.
Kiedaisch, B.M., Blanton, R. L., Haigler, C. H. 2003. Characterization of a novel cellulose synthesis inhibitor. Planta 217: 922-930.
Haigler CH. 2003. Progress and emerging questions in understanding cellulose biogenesis. Proceedings, Vol. 1: 12th International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, Univ. Wisconsin-Madison, pp. 9-16.
Salnikov, V., Grimson, M.J., Seagull, R.W., Haigler, C.H. 2003. Localization of sucrose synthase and callose in freeze substituted, secondary wall stage, cotton fibers. Protoplasma 221: 175-184.
Delmer, D.P. and Haigler, C.H. 2002. The regulation of metabolic flux to cellulose, a major sink for carbon in plants. Metabolic Engineering 4: 22-28
Babb, V.M. and Haigler, C.H. 2001. Sucrose phosphate synthase activity rises in correlation with high-rate cellulose synthesis in three heterotrophic systems. Plant Physiology 127: 1234-1242.
Haigler, C.H., Babb. V.M., Hwang, S., and Salnikov, V.V. 2001. Regulation of cellulose biosynthesis in developing xylem. In Molecular Breeding of Woody Plants, N Morohoshi and A Komamine, eds, Elsevier Science B.V.: Amsterdam, pp. 1 – 9.
Haigler, C.H., M. Ivanova-Datcheva, P. S. Hogan, V. V. Salnikov, S. Hwang, L. K. Martin, and Delmer, D.P. 2001. Carbon partitioning to cellulose synthesis. Plant Molecular Biology 47: 29-51.
Salnikov, V.V, Grimson, M.J., Delmer, D.P., and Haigler, C.H. 2001. Sucrose synthase localizes to cellulose synthesis sites in tracheary elements. Phytochemistry 57: 823-833.
Haigler, C.H., Cai, W.X., Gannaway, J.G., Grimson, M.J., Hequet, E.F., Holaday, A.S., Huang, J.-Y., Jaradat, T.T., Jividen, G.J., Krieg, D.R., Martin, L.K., Nagarur, S., Salnikov, V.V., Strauss, R.E., Tummala, J., Wan, C.H., Wu, C., Wyatt, B.G., and Zhang, H. 2000. Optimizing secondary wall synthesis in cotton fibers. In: C.R. Benedict, ed., Genetic Control of Cotton Fiber and Seed Quality, Cotton Incorporated: Cary, NC, pp. 147-165.
Roberts, A.W., S.G. Donovan, and C.H. Haigler. 1997. A secreted factor induces cell expansion and formation of metaxylem-like tracheary elements in xylogenic suspension cultures of Zinnia Plant Physiology 115: 683-692.
Grimson, M.J., C.H. Haigler, and R.L. Blanton. 1996. Cellulose microfibrils, cell motility, and plasma membrane organization change in parallel during culmination in Dictyostelium discoideum. Journal of Cell Science 109:3079 - 3087.
Haigler, C.H. and R.L. Blanton. 1996. (Invited Commentary) New hope for old dreams: Evidence that plant cellulose synthase genes have finally been identified. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 93: 12082-12085.
Taylor, J.G., C.H. Haigler, D.G. Kilburn, and R.L. Blanton. 1996. Detection of cellulose with improved specificity using laser-based instruments. Biotechnic and Histochemistry 71: 215-223.
Blanton, R.L. and C.H. Haigler. 1996. Cellulose biosynthesis, in M. Smallwood, J.P. Knox, and D.J. Bowles, eds. Membranes: Specialized Functions in Plants, BIOS Scientific Publishers, Oxford, UK, p. 57-75.
Amor, Y., C. H. Haigler, S. Johnson, M. Wainscott, and D.P. Delmer. 1995. A membrane-associated form of sucrose synthase and its potential role in synthesis of cellulose and callose in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 92: 9353-9357.
Haigler, C. H., J. G. Taylor, and L.K. Martin. 1994. Temperature dependence of fiber cellulose biosynthesis: Impact on fiber maturity and strength. in Proceedings of the Biochemistry of Cotton Workshop, Galveston, TX, Sept. 28-30, Cotton Incorporated, Raleigh, NC. p. 95-100.
Haigler, C.H. 1994. From signal transduction to biophysics: tracheary element differentiation as a model system. (Invited Commentary) International Jourrnal of Plant Science 155: 248-250.
Roberts, A.W. and C.H. Haigler. 1994. Cell expansion and tracheary element differentiation are regulated by extracellular pH in mesophyll cultures of Zinnia elegans L. Plant Physiology 105: 699-706.
Xie, W., N.L. Trolinder, and C.H. Haigler. 1993. Cool temperature effects on cotton fiber initiation and elongation clarified using in vitro cultures. Crop Science 33: 1258-1264.
Taylor, J.G. and C.H. Haigler. 1993. Patterned secondary wall assembly in tracheary elements occurs in a self-perpetuating cascade. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 42: 153-163.
Taylor, J.G., T.P. Owen, Jr., L.T. Koonce, and C.H. Haigler. 1992. Dispersed lignin in tracheary elements treated with cellulose synthesis inhibitors provides evidence that molecules of the secondary cell wall mediate wall patterning. The Plant Journal 2: 959-970.
Haigler, C.H. 1992. The crystallinity of cotton cellulose in relation to cotton improvement. Proc. Cotton Fiber Cellulose: Structure, Function, and Utilization Conference, National Cotton Council of America: Memphis, TN., p. 211-225.
Roberts, E.M., R.R. Nunna, J.Y. Huang, N.L. Trolinder, and C.H. Haigler. 1992. Effects of cycling temperatures on fiber metaBOlism in cultured cotton ovules. Plant Physiology 100: 979-986.
Roberts, A.W. and C.H. Haigler. 1992. Methylxanthines reversibly inhibit tracheary element differentiation in suspension cultures of Zinnia elegans. Planta 186: 586-592.
Roberts, A.W., L.T. Koonce, and C.H. Haigler. 1992. A simplified medium for in vitro tracheary element differentiation in mesophyll cells from Zinnia elegans. Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture 28: 27-35.
Shang, X.M., J.Y. Huang, C.H. Haigler, and N.L. Trolinder. 1991. Buffer capacity of cotton cells and effects of extracellular pH on growth and somatic embryogenesis in cotton cell suspensions. In vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology 27P: 147-152.
Haigler, C.H, N.R. Rao, E.M. Roberts, J.Y. Huang, D.R. Upchurch, and N.L. Trolinder. 1991. Cultured cotton ovules as models for cotton fiber development under low temperatures. Plant Physiology 95: 88-96.
Haigler, C.H. 1991. The relationship between polymerization and crystallization in cellulose biogenesis. in C. H. Haigler and P. Weimer, eds., Biosynthesis and Biodegradation of Cellulose, New York: Marcel Dekker, pp. 99-124.
Roberts, A.W. and C.H. Haigler. 1990. Tracheary-element differentiation in suspension cultures of Zinnia requires uptake of extracellular Ca2+. Experiments with calcium-channel blockers and calmodulin inhibitors. Planta 180: 502-509.
Roberts, A.W. and C.H. Haigler. 1989. Rise in chlorotetracycline fluorescence accompanies tracheary element differentiation in suspension cultures of Zinnia. Protoplasma. 152: 37-45.
Haigler, C.H. and A.W. Roberts. 1989. Structural aspects of tracheary element differentiation in suspension cultures of Zinnia elegans. In Proceedings of the 47th Annual Meeting of the Electron Microscopy Society of America, G.W. Bailey, ed. San Francisco Press: San Francisco, CA, pp. 768-769.
Haigler, C.H. and H. Chanzy. 1989. Electron diffraction analysis of altered cellulose: Implications for mechanisms of biogenesis. In Cellulose and Wood: Chemistry and Technology, C. Schuerch, ed., John Wiley and Sons: New York, pp. pp. 493-506.
Haigler, C.H. and H. Chanzy. 1988. Electron diffraction analysis of the altered cellulose synthesized by Acetobacter xylinum in the presence of fluorescent brightening agents and direct dyes. Journal of Ultrastructure and Molecular Structure Research 98: 299-311.
Haigler, C.H. and R.M. Brown, Jr. 1986. Transport of rosettes from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane in isolated mesophyll cells of Zinnia elegans during differentiation to tracheary elements in suspension culture. Protoplasma 134: 111-120.
Raikhel, N., B.A. Palevitz, and C.H. Haigler. 1986. Abscisic acid control of lectin accumulation in wheat seedlings and callus cultures. Effects of exogenous ABA and Fluridone. Plant Physiology 80: 167-171.
Haigler, C.H. 1985. The functions and biogenesis of native cellulose. In Cellulose Chemistry and its Applications, S.H. Zeronian and T.P. Nevell, eds., Ellis Horwood: Chichester, England, pp. 30-83.
Brown, R.M., Jr., C. Haigler, J. Suttie, A. White, E. Roberts, C. Smith, T. Itoh, and C. Cooper. 1983. The biosynthesis and degradation of cellulose. Applied Polymer Symposium 37: 33-78.
Brown, R.M., Jr., C.H. Haigler, and K.M. Cooper. 1982. Experimental induction of altered non-microfibrillar cellulose. Science 218: 1141-1142.
Roberts, E.M., R.W. Seagull, C.H. Haigler, and R.M. Brown, Jr. 1982. Alteration of cellulose microfibril formation in eukaryotic cells: Calcofluor White interferes with microfibril assembly and orientation in Oocystis apiculata. Protoplasma 113: 1-9.
Haigler, C.H., A.R. White, R.M. Brown, Jr., and K.M. Cooper. 1982. Alteration of in vivo cellulose ribbon assembly by carboxymethylcellulose and other cellulose derivatives. Journal of Cell Biology 94: 64-69.
Haigler, C.H. and M. Benziman. 1982. Biogenesis of cellulose I microfibrils occurs by cell-directed self-assembly in Acetobacter xylinum. In Cellulose and Other Natural Polymer Systems, R.M. Brown, Jr., ed., Plenum: New York, pp. 273-296.
Haigler, C.H. and R.M. Brown, Jr. 1981. Probing the relationship of polymerization and crystallization in the biogenesis of cellulose I. The Ekman-Days (1981) 5: 14-16 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, Stockholm, Sweden, June 9-12). Swedish Paper Chemistry Institute: Stockholm, Sweden.
Benziman, M., C.H. Haigler, R.M. Brown, A.R. White, and K.M. Cooper. 1980. Cellulose biogenesis: Polymerization and crystallization are coupled processes in Acetobacter xylinum . Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 77: 6678-6682.
Haigler, C.H., R.M. Brown, Jr., and M. Benziman. 1980. Calcofluor White ST alters the in vivo assembly of cellulose microfibrils. Science 210: 903-906.
PATENTS GRANTED:
Haigler, C.H. and Holaday, A.S. October 29, 2002. U.S. Patent 6,472,588. Transgenic cotton plants with altered fiber characteristics transformed with a sucrose phosphate synthase nucleic acid (16 claims).
GRADUATE STUDENTS SUPERVISED TO DEGREE COMPLETION (OR IN PROGRESS):
2003 Ph.D. student, Utku Avci (January 2003 - present)
1999-2002 M.S. student, Brett Kiedaisch, M.S. granted, 8/02, Thesis: “Characterization of an experimental cellulose synthesis inhibitor”. Next employment: Technician at the USDA/ARS Plant Stress and Water Conservation Unit, Lubbock TX.
1997-2002 Ph.D. student, Sangjoon Hwang, Ph.D. granted, 8/02, Dissertation: “Molecular cloning and characterization of cellulose synthase genes expressed during tracheary element differentiation in cultures of Zinnia elegans.” Next employment: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas Tech University.
1992-1999 Ph.D. student, L. Kirt Martin, Ph.D. granted, 5/99, Dissertation: “Cool-temperature-induced changes in metaBOlism related to cellulose synthesis in cotton fibers”. This dissertation was highlighted in the 1999 report of the Texas Tech University Graduate School. Current Employment: Professor, Lubbock Christian University, Lubbock TX.
1996-1998 M.S. student, Trina Muehring, M.S. thesis granted, 5/98, Thesis: Development of methodology for freeze substitution and immunolocalization in differentiating tracheary elements of Zinnia elegans. Next employment: Computer software development, private industry.
1994-1995 M.S. student,
Jyothi Tummala, , M.S. granted 5/96, Thesis:
"Response of sucrose phosphate synthase activity to cool temperatures
in cotton fiber"
Next Employment: Laboratory Technician, Kettering Labs: New York, NY.
1991-1995 Ph.D. student, Linda T. Koonce (now Trolinder), Ph.D. granted, 8/95. Dissertation: "The isolation and characterization of partial cDNAs associated with in vitro tracheary element formation." Current employment, Elite Events Coordinator, Bayer Crop Science.
1988-1993 Ph.D. student,
Wuzi Xie. Ph.D. granted, December 1993. 1988, Texas Tech Institute for
Biotechnology Research Fellow. Dissertation: "Morphological and biochemical
characterization of cool temperature hindrance of fiber elongation of cotton
using ovules cultured in vitro as a model system."
Current employment: QA/QC Lab, Bayer CropScience.
1989-1993 Ph.D. student,
Jim Taylor. Ph.D. granted, December, 1993. Dissertation: "The investigation
of secondary wall deposition in differentiating Zinnia cell suspension
cultures". 1989-90, Texas Tech Institute for Biotechnology Research
Fellow. Winner of the Robert I. Larus award for best presentation by a
graduate student, SWARM-AAAS, 1991; Winner of a best poster award at Cellulose
'91, New Orleans and AAAS, Chicago, 1992.
Current employment: Associate Professor of Biology, Ouachita Baptist University,
Arkadelphia, AR.
1987-1990 Ph.D. student,
Alison Roberts. Ph.D. granted, May 1990. Dissertation: "The role of
calcium ions in the differentiation of tracheary elements from isolated
cells in suspension culture". Recipient of Outstanding Graduate Student
Research Award, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 1991.
Current employment: Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode
Island, Kingston, RI
INVITED RESEARCH SEMINARS:
SUNY-ESF, Syracuse New York, “Update on mechanisms of cellulose synthesis in plants”, October 28, 2011
Triangle Association of Research Directors (TARDC), “Cotton fiber as a window into the improvement of diverse biomaterials and biomass crops”, November 22, 2011
25th Plant Molecular Biology Retreat, “Multidisciplinary computational and experimental approaches to understanding the structure and function of the cellulose synthesis complex”, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2011
Workshop on Advances in Cotton Biotechnology, In vitro Biology Meeting, Raleigh NC, “Biotechnological strategies to test cotton gene function and improve fiber quality”, June 4, 2011
East Carolina University, “Determining links between cotton fiber development and quality”, October 28, 2010
XII Cell Wall Meeting, Porto, Portugal, July 2010, “Comprehensive comparison of dynamic changes during development in cotton fiber cell walls from two commercial Gossypium species with different fiber quality characteristics”
Gordon Conference on Plant Cell Walls, “Cell wall dynamics mediating cotton fiber differentiation” 2009
Dept. of Wood and Paper Science, NC STATE, “Cellular and molecular regulation of cellulose synthesis” 2009
Beltwide Cotton Conference, Cotton Improvement Section, “Group behavior of cotton fiber during elongation provides new perspectives on possible mechanisms of control of fiber quality” 2008
Plant and Animal Genome Conference, International Cotton Genome Initiative Section, “Genomics of cotton fiber secondary wall deposition and cellulose biogenesis” 2008
Cotton Incorporated, Cary, NC, Cotton Breeder’s Workshop, “Cotton Fiber Development” 2008
Dept. of Plant Biology, NC STATE, “Transmission electron microscopy uniquely reveals phenotypes of Arabidopsis mutants” 2008
Dept. of Crop Science, NC STATE, “Novel aspects of cotton fiber development revealed through integration of genomics, biochemistry, and microscopy” 2008
Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, 3/19/07, “Genes and pathways associated with secondary wall deposition in cotton fiber”
World Cotton Research Conference, Lubbock Texas, 9/10-14/07, International Cotton Genome Initiative Breakout Session: New controls of cotton fiber development and quality illuminated through integration of genomic, cell biological, and biochemical analyses.
International Conference on Nanotechnology (for the Forest Products Industry), Atlanta GA, 4/26-28/06, “Immunolabeling as a tool for understanding the spatial distribution of fiber wall components and their biosynthetic enzymes”
Wageningen University, The Netherlands, 5/19/06, “Cotton fiber provides an optimum platform for analysis of genetic, cellular, and biochemical mechanisms related to cellulose synthesis”
Biosynthesis of Plant Cell Walls, Pacific Grove, CA, 8/4-7/05, “Secondary wall stage cotton fiber provides an optimum platform for analysis of gene expression related to cellulose synthesis”
Private industry, 9/12/05, “Molecular characteristics of cotton fiber”.
NC Plant Molecular Biology Retreat, 9/30 – 10/2/05, “Cotton fiber as an optimum platform for single cell genomics related to cell expansion and cell wall synthesis”
Department of Horticulture, NCSU, 10/24/05, “Cellular, metabolic, and environmental control of cellulose synthesis in cotton fiber”
American Chemical Society, Anselme Payen Award Symposium honoring D. Delmer, Co-organizer and speaker, 3/28-30/04, Anaheim, CA
Southern Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists, “Biotechnological improvement of cotton fiber maturity”, 3/6-8/04, Lafayette, LA
USDA Cotton Biotechnology Workshop, “Gene expression in cotton fiber”, 10/4-5/04, New Orleans, LA
USDA Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry Workshop, Co-leader of and speaker in the working group on the Nanostructure of Plant Cell Walls, 10/17-19/04, Lansdowne, VA
12th International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, “Progress and emerging questions in understanding cellulose biogenesis” 2003
Fibre Wall, 5th workshop of COST Action E20, Helsinki Finland, “Cellulose and lignin biosynthesis: xylem vessel formation in vitro” 2003
North Texas State University, “Environmental regulation of cotton fiber cellulose synthesis” 2002
Cotton Incorporated, Raleigh, NC. Cotton Genetics Working Group Meeting, “Genetic engineering of secondary wall deposition in cotton fiber” 2002
North Carolina State University at Raleigh, “Control of cellulose synthesis and its cool temperature response by sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase” 2002
International Wood Biotechnology Symposium, Narita, Japan, “Regulation of cellulose biosynthesis in developing xylem” 2001
University of Dundee, Division of Environmental and Applied Biology, “Control of cellulose synthesis and its cool temperature response by sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase” 2001
2000 219th ACS National Meeting, Cellulose, Paper, and Textile Division, “Regulation of cellulose synthesis in differentiating tracheary elements of Zinnia elegans”
Gordon Conference on Plant Cell Walls, Meriden, NH, “Structure of cellulose-synthesizing complexes” 2000
Cotton Incorporated Conference on Genetic Improvement of Cotton, San Antonio, TX, “Optimizing secondary wall synthesis in cotton fiber” 2000
North Carolina State University, “Mechanisms of tracheary element differentiation” 1999
Texas A&M University, “Genetic engineering for improved cool tolerance in cotton fiber development” 1998
Plant Genetic Systems, Gent, Belgium, “Strategies for improving cool temperature tolerance of cotton fiber development” 1998
Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolecules Vegetales, Grenoble, France, “Cool temperature sensitivity of cellulose biosynthesis in cotton fibers” 1998
Centre de Biologie et Physiologie Vegetales, Toulouse, France, “Cellular regulation of secondary wall patterning in differentiating tracheary elements” 1998
XIX International Carbohydrate Symposium, San Diego, CA “Response of cellulose biosynthesis in cotton fibers to cool temperature stress” 1998
Cotton Incorporated Conference on Cotton Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Galveston, TX, “Cool-temperature-induced changes in metabolism related to cellulose synthesis in cotton fibers” 1998
1997 Gordon Conference on Plant Cell Walls, Tilton, NH, “Cellular determinants of secondary wall patterning in differentiating tracheary elements”
Virginia Polytechnical Institute, Blacksburg, VA, “Cellular determinants of secondary wall patterning in differentiating tracheary elements” 1997
POPULAR ARTICLES RELATED TO RESEARCH:
News Release, North Carolina State University, “Professor brings new ways of studying improvements to cotton plants”, 2003.
Co-authored article: C.H. Haigler and R.L. Blanton. 1999. Cellulose: You're surrounded by it, but did you know it was there? LubBOck Magazine: December 1999, pp. 42 - 46.
Featured faculty member in M. Gustafson. 1992. "A piece of tradition." Texas Techsan Magazine 45 (1): 9.
Featured faculty member in C. Patterson. 1991. "Biotechnology: Piecing together the genetic puzzle." Vistas. Texas Tech Research 1(2): 16-20.
Research featured in an educational video tape, "Cotton, exploring the inner frontiers." Copyright 1991, Cotton Incorporated and Texas Tech University.
Research featured in "Cotton Incorporated research seed money multiplies to benefit producers." Cotton Leader. February 1991. Cotton Board: Memphis, TN.
Research
featured in "U.S.
cotton in action." Cotton Farming 11(5): 22, 1990
Dr. Candace Haigler