Rate My Professor Lucia Strader

Strader's research centers on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of auxin signaling, homeostasis, transport, and crosstalk with other hormones, using Arabidopsis thaliana to explore how plants integrate environmental cues like temperature, light, and nutrients to modulate growth and development. Her lab integrates plant physiology, genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, and synthetic biology to uncover strategies for enhancing crop resilience. Notable publications include "Auxin biosynthesis and storage forms" (Journal of Experimental Botany, 2013, 659 citations), "AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR thermostability" (Nature Communications, March 2026), "Thermosensory reconfiguration of the auxin transcriptional pathway to drive root cell growth" (Nature Communications, March 2026), "Nucleo-cytoplasmic partitioning of ARF proteins controls auxin responses in Arabidopsis thaliana" (Molecular Cell, 2019), and "The Arabidopsis SLEEPY1 Gene Encodes a Putative F-Box Subunit of an SCF E3 Ubiquitin Ligase" (The Plant Cell, 2003). Strader has received prestigious honors, including the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award (2015), American Society of Plant Biologists Women's Young Investigator Award (2015) and Charles Albert Shull Award (2022), Society for Experimental Biology Plenary Lecture Award (2025), and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2025). She leads NSF-funded projects on transcription factor binding in plant organ formation, transcriptional activation domains across species, and climate-resilient plant systems, influencing advancements in agronomy and sustainable agriculture.