Great Lakes Plant Science Conference Schedule | Office of Research and Innovation

September 12

Session 1 - Networking Part 1

Time	Subject	Location
3:00 - 8:00 p.m.	Registration	River Street Pub/Concourse
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.	Networking Reception	River Street Pub/Concourse

End of Day 1

September 13

Session 2 - Plenary Session

Time	Subject	Location
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.	Registration and Poster Setup	Hallway Outside Banquet Rooms
8:30 - 8:35 a.m.	Opening Remarks by Sue Rhee	Banquet Rooms
8:35 - 9:20 a.m.	Sarah Lebeis, Michigan State University "Untangling Microbial Complexity to Reveal Drivers of Root Microbiome Assembly and Function"	Banquet Rooms
9:20 - 9:35 a.m.	Coffee Break

Session 3 - Plant Science in a Changing Climate: Adaptation, Resilience, and Sustainable Solutions

As climate change accelerates, plants face increasing challenges from extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and shifting ecosystems. This session will explore the latest advances in plant adaptation and resilience strategies, focusing on molecular, physiological, and ecological responses to climate stress. Discussions will highlight innovative breeding approaches, biotechnological interventions, and nature-based solutions for sustainable agriculture. By integrating cutting-edge research with practical applications, this session aims to provide insights into building climate-resilient crops and ecosystems, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability in an era of rapid change.

Time	Subject	Location
9:35 - 9:55 a.m.	Session Chair Alizée Malnoë, Indiana University Bloomington "Regulation and mechanism of photoprotective qH in Arabidopsis" (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
9:55 - 10:15 a.m.	Manish Tiwari, University of Wisconsin-Madison “Nodulation Breakdown in the Heat: A Peptide Story” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
10:15 - 10:35 a.m.	Andrea Glassmire, Michigan State University “Insect Scales, Water Stress, and Shoreline Takeover: The Metabolome Behind a Reed’s Invasion” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
10:35 - 10:50 a.m.	Samuel Hazen, University of Massachusetts “Temperature signals drive grass secondary cell wall thickening” (12-min presentation, 3-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
10:50 - 11:10 a.m.	Flash talk speakers (3-min presentations) Burcu Alptekin, University of Wisconsin-Madison “Plant Stress Adaptation Beyond Earth Through Application of Synthetic Plant Microbiomes” Frederick Mildenhall, Purdue University “Circadian Clock Disruption by Cold Stress in Tomato Reveals Divergence between Tropical and Temperature Origin Species” Natania Doughty, University of Western Ontario “Development of a viral vector-mediated gene editing system in Apple for Genetic Improvement” Sham Vera, Indiana University Bloomington “Understanding the ‘HAD’ domain function of the SUPPRESSOR OF QUENCHING 1 protein in photoprotection” Sean Balogh, University of Guelph “Elucidation of Drought-Adaptive Lipid Modulations in Soybean (Glycine max L.)”	Banquet Rooms
11:10 - 11:25 a.m.	Group Photo	River Concourse

Session 4 - Biotic Interactions in Plant Science: From Molecular Mechanisms to Ecosystem Dynamics

Plants exist in complex networks of interactions with microbes, insects, and other organisms that shape their growth, health, and adaptation. This session will delve into the diverse biotic interactions that influence plant function, from molecular signaling in symbiotic relationships to large-scale ecosystem dynamics. Topics will include plant-microbe associations, pathogen defense mechanisms, mycorrhizal symbioses, and the role of plant interactions in ecosystem stability. By bridging molecular insights with ecological perspectives, this session aims to uncover new strategies for enhancing plant health, improving crop productivity, and promoting biodiversity in natural and agricultural systems.

Time	Subject	Location
11:25 - 11:45 a.m.	Session Chair Adam Mott, University of Toronto – Scarborough "The evolution and expression of plant cell surface receptors" (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
11:45am - 12:05 p.m.	Deepak Bhandari, Michigan State University “The Remodeling Cell Wall: A Battlefield of Immune Signaling and Pathogen Manipulation” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
12:05 - 12:25 p.m.	Aditi Bhat, University of Pittsburgh “Discovery of novel receptor-like kinases in regulation of root microbiome in Arabidopsis thaliana” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
12:25 - 12:40 p.m.	Sadie Hall, Ohio State University “Rooted in Resilience: Milkweed, Microbes and Metabolic Mapping" (12-min presentation, 3-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
12:40 - 1:00 p.m.	Flash talk speakers (3-min presentations) TIancheng “Kimi” Liu, University of Michigan “Dissecting the Immune-Regulatory Domain of Arabidopsis MAPKKK MEKK2 via CRISPR-Mediated Gene Editing” Kirti Tyagi, Ohio State University “Hijacking the Host: How Pseudomonas syringae Effectors Engineer a Nutrient-Rich Niche in Plant Apoplast” Julia Pastor Fernandez, University of Western Ontario “Detoxification of plant secondary metabolites by Two-Spotted Spider Mites as a mechanism of host adaptability” In-Cheol Yeo, University of Michigan “Boosting immunity: secreted sphingolipids function as unconventional damage-associated molecular patterns in potentiating multi-layered plant immunity” Youhuang Xiang, Indiana University Bloomington “The F. graminearum effector TPP1 hijacks the chloroplast iron-sulfur protein and dynamically regulates plant defense via phase separation”	Banquet Rooms
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.	Lunch Break	Banquet Rooms

Session 5 - Integrative Omics, Systems, and Synthetic Biology Approaches in Plant Science

Unraveling the complexity of plant biology requires a systems-level understanding of gene regulation, metabolic networks, and cellular dynamics. This session will explore cutting-edge omics technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and their integration into systems and synthetic biology approaches to decode plant function. Discussions will highlight breakthroughs in multi-omics data analysis, predictive modeling, and the engineering of novel plant traits for improved stress tolerance, nutrient use efficiency, and biosynthetic capabilities. By leveraging these advanced tools, researchers are unlocking new possibilities for precision crop improvement and sustainable agriculture in a rapidly changing world.

Time	Subject	Location
2:30 - 2:50 p.m.	Session Chair Ronan O’Malley, University of Chicago "The gene regulatory landscape of flowering plants" (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
2:50 - 3:10 p.m.	Isaiah Kaufman, Michigan State University “How to maximize protein production in plants? Guidance for codon optimization from multi-omics analysis in diverse species” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
3:10 - 3:30 p.m.	Fabio Gomez-Cano, University of Michigan “Defining the regulatory grammar of stress responses in maize” (15-min presentation, 5-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
3:30 - 3:45 p.m.	Siva Naga Sai Damaraju, Michigan State University “Molecular dynamics investigation of Photosystem I–platinum nanoparticle biohybrids for hydrogen production” (12-min presentation, 3-min Q&A)	Banquet Rooms
3:45 - 4:05 p.m.	Flash talk speakers (3-min presentations) Rachel Rivero, University of Michigan “Towards a regulatory framework of regeneration in 'Mother of Thousands' succulents” Swastika Sharma, Lincoln University of Missouri “Temporal Expression Analysis of Cellulose and Lignin Biosynthesis Genes in Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Using RT-qPCR” Alyssa Clews, University of Guelph “Uncovering a chloroplast localized DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE1-LIKE LIPASE heterooligomeric complex in Arabidopsis thaliana” Denise Caldwell, Purdue University “Cell-Specific Insights into Fungicide Mode of Action and Host Resistance to Improve Tar Spot Management in Maize” Andrea Gomez Felipe, Indiana University Bloomington “3D Reconstruction of Arabidopsis thaliana Nectary Structures”	Banquet Rooms
4:05 - 4:30 p.m.	Coffee Break
4:30 - 6:30 p.m.	Poster Session 1	Exhibit Hall B
6:30 - 9:30 p.m.	Faculty Networking Dinner and Business Meeting	Banquet Rooms
6:30 - 9:30 p.m.	Reception	Exhibit Hall B

September 14

Session 6 - Networking Part 2

Time	Subject	Location
8:30 - 10:30 a.m.	Poster Session 2	Exhibit Hall B
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.	Industry Career Panel Scott Dour, Plastomics Inc. Brennan Hyden, CTC Genomics Matt Joens, Thermo Fisher Scientific Zuzana Kocsisova, Plastomics Inc. Michael Nuccio, Inari Agriculture Emily Warp, Pairwise	Banquet Rooms
11:30 - 11:45 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	Awards Ceremony Closing Remarks	Banquet Rooms

End of Day 3

Note: Posters to be taken down by 12 p.m. on September 14

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