Williams lab summer 2009
Joe Williams
Ph.D. University of Georgia 2000
My research involves
the study of flowering plant reproductive evolution. In flowering plants
mate recognition is a developmental process that involves physical
interactions among up to six distinct organisms (male and female
gametophytes and sporophytes, zygotes and endosperms). The outcome of
these often cryptic interactions determines the mating system, and
hence, the degree of inbreeding or outbreeding present in natural
populations. In order to understand how such post-pollination mate
discrimination might have originated in flowering plants, I have been
studying the pollination to fertilization life histories of taxa within
many early-diverging lineages of angiosperms. From these studies I am
reconstructing historical patterns of evolutionary developmental change
in pollen-pistil interactions.
Dr. Jason Abercrombie
Ph.D. University of Tennessee 2007
The focus of my current research is on two genes that have likely served as “developmental enablers” for the evolution of rapid pollen tube growth through a closed carpel - callose synthase (CalS) and pectin methylesterase (PME). I am using genomic and bioinformatic tools to find and then characterize gene families of these two genes in the basal angiosperms, Nuphar advena, Amborella trichopoda, and the gymnosperm Pinus taeda. I am testing the hypothesis that novel expression patterns of these genes in angiosperms arose via gene duplication prior to the origin of flowering plants. My research is greatly facilitated by large transcriptomic databases which I am using to search for orthologues in these species. This research will lay the foundation for future gene expression studies in these and other basal angiosperms. Ultimately, a better understanding of these gene families and their respective expression patterns in both gymnosperms and basal angiosperms has a high likelihood of shedding light on how processes such as duplicate gene neofunctionalization or subfunctionalization, transposition, exon shuffling, or chromosomal rearrangements were involved in the evolution of unique patterns of pollen tube growth in angiosperms.
Mackenzie Taylor (B.A., Truman State University, 2005)
Began Ph.D. program at UT in August, 2005
Research Project: "Post-pollination processes and reproductive timing in Cabombaceae (Nymphaeales)"
I am interested in the evolution of reproductive structures in basal angiosperms, especially in how interactions between these structures during development has impacted the diversification of flowering plants. Currently, I am investigating reproductive timing and post-pollination processes in the basal angiosperm family Cabombaceae. This family comprises two water lily genera, Brasenia and Cabomba. I am focusing specifically on the temporal and structural aspects of processes that occur between pollination and fertilization, including pollen germination, pollen tube growth, stigma and ovule receptivity, and fertilization. My goal is to elucidate how these processes interact within reproductive structures to potentially facilitate successful fertilization or alternatively, screen potential mates. My other interests include pollen morphology and development, as well as botanical education.
Mackenzie is funded by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2006-2009) and NSF DDIG (2009-10).
Began Ph.D. program at UT in August, 2008
Research Project: "Post-pollination processes and mating systems in Illicium (Illiciaceae; Austrobaileyales)"
Nick has received funding from the State of Florida for the first phase of his project.
Andrew Moffatt (BS expected 2011)
Currently Andrew is working with Nick Buckley to develop AFLP
primers for the endangered species Illicium parviflorum in order to
study the genetic diversity of several populations in the Ocala National
Forest, FL. He also hopes to find evidence as to whether or not Illicium
is self-compatible.
He is also working with Dr. Jason Abercrombie doing RNA extractions from Cabomba tissues, which will lead to his senior honors project.
Andrew expects to receive an honors EEB/chancelor's honors B.S. degree.
Chris James (BS expected spring 2010)
Chris and two other undergraduates have been studying pollen tube growth patterns in Liriodendron and Magnolia. Chris also works on the lab on numerous other projects.
Ralph McNeilage (BS in EEB 2009) spent a field season in the ponds working on Nymphaea, and now has a manuscript nearing submission on its post-pollination biology. Ralph is a Young Botanist of the Year award winner from Botanical Society of America. Ralph enters the Ph.D. program at UC-Davis in fall of 2009.
Matthew Lettre (BS expected 2011)
Matt is an EEB major. He has been working on the Austrobaileya and Trithuria pollen tube studies.
David Fowler
David and two other undergraduates have been studying pollen tube growth patterns in Liriodendron and Magnolia.
Aaron Floden
Aaron and two other undergraduates have been studying pollen tube growth patterns in Liriodendron and Magnolia. Aaron also works in the greenhouse and herbarium.
Williams lab fall of 2006
Matt Valente (B. S. Auburn, 2004).
M.S. 2007
I am utterly fascinated by a wide range of things botanical, including biogeography, genetics, paleo-ecology, evolution, and conservation of rare and endangered species and habitats. My master's thesis is a study of conservation genetics of the rare basal angiosperm,
Schisandra glabra. This vine is found throughout the Southeast USA, but is extremely rare where it occurs, often found as a single patch which may or may not be a single genotype. I am using AFLP markers to determine genotypic diversity in such patches and to assess genetic variation and phylogeographic patterns.
Matt is currently in the Ph.D. program in Geography at UTK working with Sally Horn.
Tatiana Arias (B.S. Universidad de Atioquia, Colombia, 2002)
M.S. 2007
My general interest as a botanist is on the evolution of morphological characters in angiosperms. More specifically, I am interested in the role of development in the evolutionary history of basal angiosperm groups and the question of the origin of angiosperms. My present research focuses on the development and evolution of the female gametophyte and the sporophytic tissues (embryo and endosperm) it gives rise to, in Manekia naranjoana (Piperaceae). Manekia (also known as Sarcorhachis ) is a rare neotropical vine, whose embryology has not been studied. I am also working on some aspects of reproductive biology such as post-pollination (pollen tube growth) and early post-fertilization (early embryogenesis) events.
Tatiana Matt is currently in the Ph.D. program at the University of Missouri-Columbia working with Chris Pires.
Cyndi Crossini worked for credit in the lab Spring, summer and fall of 2006. She is involved on the Austrobaileya scandens project. She apparently loves complex life histories, because she wants to work with red algae! Cyndi was funded by an NSF-REU in summer of 2007.
Andrew Herget (Junior year 2006) worked as a tech in the lab summer and fall 2006. He was funded by an NSF-REU in summer of 2007. Andrew is interested in computer science and genetics.
Matt Heard (B. S. University of Tennessee, 2004).
Lab tech (2005/2006). Matt came to the lab as an avowed ecologist, but quickly learned how to use molecular genetic tools. He worked on two projects, one involving a mating system study of Austrobaileya and the other a phylogeography study of Betula neoalaskana. Despite his stellar performance as a geneticist, he has now returned to his love of ecology, in the Ph.D. program in EEB at Brown University.
Kimberly Kennard (B. S. University of Tennessee, 2004)
Lab tech (2004/2005). Kim completed development of a set of microsatellite markers for Austrobaileya. She was so good that she was recruited away from the plant world. Kim started in the Ph.D. program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee in August, 2005.
Shinara Taylor (B. S. University of Tennessee, 2004).
Lab tech (2003-2004). Shinara completed an elaborate study of Betula leaf characters, including stomata, for a study of hybridization and polyploidy in a birch hybrid zone. Shinara graduated with an art degree, but went on to work in Entomology at UT.
Ethan Lockhart and Darrell Anthony (June 2007)
These high school students did a project under Matt Valente's supervision learning how to sequence chloroplast DNA of Schisandra. They came to us from the Math and Science Center and UT Upward Bound program.
Jim Parker, a retired high-school teacher but still an enthusiastic student, spent many hours on the lake pollinating Brasenia flowers in the summer of 2006.
Katherine Smith spent many hours in the field (marsh) pollinating Cabomba in the summer of 2006.
Galen Yacalis worked in the lab during Spring of 2006. He is fascinated with plant anatomy, and learned to section material quite well. He initiated a side project on Joinvilleaceae (Poales) female gametophtye ontogeny. Galen transferred to the University of Texas, Austin in 2006.