Eric Richards

Eric Richards is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University and a researcher at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI). His work focuses on epigenetics and nuclear cell biology, particularly the interplay between DNA methylation, chromatin regulation, and nuclear architecture in plants.

• Research Areas: Epigenetics, Nuclear Cell Biology, Genetics & Development

Richards' research explores how chromatin organization and three-dimensional nuclear structure influence epigenetic inheritance and gene regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. His lab investigates mechanisms of cytosine methylation, the role of chromatin proteins like DDM1 and VIM, and the impact of nuclear architecture on genome stability.

Recent trends in his publications emphasize nuclear lamina structure in tomato, cross-species nuclear morphology, and the integration of epigenetic codes with higher-order nuclear organization. His studies bridge fundamental molecular biology with agricultural and ecological implications of epigenetic variation.

Additional contributions include patents related to methylation profiling methods, DNA methylation genes, and artificial chromosome vectors. Richards' lab collaborates with Cornell and BTI, mentoring interns and advancing plant epigenetics research.