Research Opportunities

The faculty members within the department conduct research in a broad array of plant biology disciplines, including plant cell and molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, systems biology, synthetic biology, ecology, systematics, evolutionary biology, conservation and reproductive biology, computational biology and bioinformatics, and ethnobotany.   The department supports programs focused on transgenic plants and transgene expression, gene silencing, gene regulation, plant genomics, plant cell imaging, intercellular signaling, gravitational biology, plant development, plant-microbe interactions, plant metabolism, toxic dinoflagellates, aquatic ecology, wetlands biology, plant community ecology, physiological ecology, paleobotany, and plant systematics and evolution. Our faculty work with model organisms, with plants in natural ecosystems, and with agriculturally important crop plants.  Departmental research programs enjoy national and international reputations, and contribute both to advancing basic understanding of fundamental questions in biology, as well as meeting applied needs in fields such as genetically modified plants, medicinal plants, environmental pollution, and endangered species. 

We benefit at NC State from having a large number of plant biologists on campus in the Center for Integrated Fungal Research , Crop Science, Genetics, Horticultural Science,Forestry, and Plant Pathology.  Collaborations with these faculty increase the breadth of our research efforts. 

Information on individual research programs can be found through the links below.

---