The Biomechanics of Plant Morphogenesis

About the Project

Morphogenesis is ultimately a biomechanical process, where cells and biomaterials are molded into functional shapes by biomechanical forces. Plant cell morphogenesis is modulated by the intracellular hydrostatic pressure, or “turgor pressure”, and the resulting cell wall tension, leading to many biophysicists comparing plant cells to “water-filled balloons”. The precise interaction between cell wall tension and turgor pressure in the formation of complex biological shapes, however, remains elusive. This is especially true for plant stem cells and meristematic tissue, where oriented division and directional growth play central role in developmental regulations. In this project, you will identify the biomechanical origin of differential growth in plant meristematic tissues, and interrogate the connection between plant biomechanical and biochemical signals in plant development. This multidisciplinary project will give you the opportunity to learn a wide array of techniques, including micromechanical analysis (biophysics), advanced microscopy and 3D image analysis (bioimaging), cloning and gene editing (genetics and molecular biology), and plant cultivation. Background in physics or plant science is not required, and we welcome enthusiastic students with open minds for interdisciplinary study.