Joanne Chory

Joanne Chory, PhD, is a Professor and Director of the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. She is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holds the Howard H. and Maryam R. Newman Chair in Plant Biology. Her research focuses on plant genetics, photosynthesis, and climate change mitigation, particularly through the Harnessing Plants Initiative (HPI), which aims to optimize plants' natural carbon sequestration abilities.

Education: B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College, PhD in Microbiology from the University of Illinois, and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Research Interests: Chory pioneers molecular genetic approaches to study plant growth and development. Her work includes discovering plant steroid hormones' role in growth regulation, uncovering circadian rhythms' influence on gene expression, and developing Salk Ideal Plants™ to combat climate change. Her lab uses cutting-edge genomic and genetic tools to explore how plants adapt to environmental changes.

Publications and Impact: Over 200 peer-reviewed articles highlight her contributions to plant biology, including breakthroughs in strigolactone signaling, epigenetics, and shade avoidance mechanisms. Recent work focuses on enhancing root systems to sequester carbon via suberin.

Awards: Over 30 prestigious awards, including the Wolf Prize (2024), Breakthrough Prize (2018), and membership in the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Grants & Teams: Leads the HPI and collaborates internationally, leveraging grants from HHMI and others to advance plant-based climate solutions. Her lab includes postdocs, technicians, and students tackling interdisciplinary challenges.