Joseph Kieber

Joseph Kieber is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on plant hormones, particularly cytokinin and ethylene, investigating their roles in signaling, biosynthesis, and developmental regulation. He leads the Kieber Lab, which combines genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches to study plant growth and development.

Key research areas include cytokinin signal transduction (modeled after bacterial two-component systems), regulation of ethylene biosynthesis (via ACS protein stability), and cell expansion mechanisms in roots. The lab uses Arabidopsis as a primary model, with extensions to rice. Recent work explores interactions between hormones, cell wall dynamics, and environmental stress responses.

Publications highlight discoveries in cytokinin-response genes, rice developmental pathways, and mechanisms linking ethylene to cell expansion. The lab is funded by the National Science Foundation and USDA, with ongoing projects addressing hormone crosstalk and stress resilience in plants.