Amanda Grusz

Amanda Grusz serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth's Swenson College of Science and Engineering, concurrently directing the Olga Lakela Herbarium. Her integrative research bridges molecular phylogenetics, cytogenetics, and morphological studies to unravel evolutionary mechanisms in vascular plants, with specialized focus on fern reproductive biology.

Education

• B.S., University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Ph.D., Duke University

Research Focus: Dr. Grusz investigates apomixis (asexual seed reproduction), hybridization, and genome duplication in eukaryotes, using ferns (Pteridaceae) as model systems. Her work examines how environmental stressors like drought drive the evolution of obligate apomixis, combining field collections with genomic analyses of plastomes and nuclear genomes to resolve speciation patterns in xeric-adapted genera such as Myriopteris and Cheilanthes.

Publication Trends: Her 2009-2021 publications reveal consistent emphasis on fern genomics, with recurring themes including plastome evolution (RNA editing, mobile elements), polyploidy mechanisms (homoeologous pairing), and ecological drivers of apomixis. Methodologically, she leverages transcriptome sequencing, microsatellite development, and cytogenetic techniques to address fundamental questions in plant evolutionary biology.

Advising & Grants: Mentors three M.S. students (Hilding, Hegstrom, Botz) in Integrated Biosciences. Secured competitive funding including an NSF EAGER grant for drought-related apomixis research and UMD Grant in Aid. Lab actively supports undergraduate projects highlighted at UROP Showcase and Botany conferences, with one student winning NSF-GRFP.

Laboratory Operations: The Grusz Lab conducts global fieldwork while utilizing the DUL Herbarium collections. Current initiatives include global apomixis mapping in Pteris, drought-response studies, and bioinformatics-driven analyses of fern evolutionary rates, with collaborations extending to the Smithsonian Institution for student training.