Courtney Leisner

Courtney Leisner is an Assistant Professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), holding a 75% research and 25% teaching appointment. She previously served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University from 2018 to 2023. Her academic journey includes postdoctoral research at Michigan State University, where she was awarded the prestigious NIH Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2014), an M.Sc. in Botany from Washington State University (2009), and a B.Sc. in Biology and Environmental Science from The College of William and Mary (2007).

Dr. Leisner's research centers on understanding how climate change impacts plant production and nutritional quality through genomics-enabled plant physiology. She employs a systems biology approach integrating plant physiology, genomics, molecular biology, and bioinformatics to uncover genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying crop resilience. Her work spans key crops such as soybean, potato, and blueberry, focusing on abiotic stress responses, transcriptomic regulation, and specialized metabolism.

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong thematic focus on climate change effects on crops, particularly how abiotic stresses like ozone, salinity, and temperature shifts affect yield and nutritional content. Her work increasingly integrates multi-omics approaches and examines interactions between biotic and abiotic stressors, highlighting a trend toward interdisciplinary and systems-level plant science.

• NIH Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award (2015)

Dr. Leisner has secured competitive research funding, as evidenced by her NIH fellowship, and leads an active research program that bridges fundamental plant science with agricultural sustainability. While specific grant details are not listed, her publication record and research scope suggest involvement in federally funded projects. She mentors students through her research lab and contributes to teaching within her school, offering courses in plant physiology, genomics, and crop breeding for stress tolerance.

Her research program operates at the intersection of plant-environment interactions, utilizing computational and molecular tools to address food security challenges in a changing climate. She is part of collaborative networks in plant science, as seen in her co-authorship with large consortia, promoting inclusive and interdisciplinary research in plant genomics and physiology.