معرفی
Esther van der Knaap is a Professor at the University of Georgia within the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. She is affiliated with the Horticulture department and the Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics (IPBGG). Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms regulating tomato fruit shape and size, with applications in crop improvement and climate resilience.
- Education:
- Ph.D. in Genetics, Michigan State University (1998)
- B.S./M.S. in Plant Pathology, Wageningen University (1990)
Dr. van der Knaap’s work explores fruit development genetics in Solanaceous crops. She investigates structural genomic variants, gene regulatory networks, and metabolic pathways to enhance agricultural productivity. Her studies span tomato domestication, stress adaptation, and flavor preservation.
Recent publications highlight advances in CRISPR-based gene editing, cell segmentation technology, and methyl salicylate metabolism. Her team’s tomato genome analyses reveal insights into domestication history and yield optimization, funded by NSF and USDA grants.
She leads the Esther van der Knaap Lab at UGA’s Center of Applied Genetic Technologies (CAGT). Collaborative efforts include the CAES Vegetables Team and The Plant Center.
