معرفی
Joyce Van Eck is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section at Cornell University, and a Professor at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) where she holds the Boyce Schulze Downey Distinguished Scientist title. Her research focuses on biotechnological approaches to study gene function and improve crop traits in major food crops like potato and tomato.
Education
- Doctorate from Cornell University
- Master of Science from University of Delaware
- Bachelor of Science from The Pennsylvania State University
Research Interests
Dr. Van Eck's research program centers on applying biotechnological and genetic engineering strategies to improve crop plants. Her work specifically targets enhancing disease resistance, improving fruit characteristics, and boosting nutritional quality in potato and tomato. She leads 'The Physalis Improvement Project' which aims to transform groundcherry and goldenberry into viable agricultural crops through genetic approaches including CRISPR technology. Her laboratory has developed efficient transformation protocols that have accelerated research into plant genome editing.
Publication Trends
Dr. Van Eck's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on plant genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR applications in Solanaceae crops. Her work spans from fundamental research on plant development and gene function to practical applications for crop improvement. A significant portion of her recent work involves the development of model systems like Physalis (groundcherry) and hornworts to advance plant biotechnology research.
Scientific Awards
- Boyce Schulze Downey Distinguished Scientist
Advising and Grants
Dr. Van Eck actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students through BTI's summer internship programs and Cornell's academic programs. Her laboratory has received significant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), including support for the CROPPS (Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems) initiative. She collaborates extensively with researchers across institutions on projects focused on plant genome engineering and crop improvement.
Laboratory and Team
The Van Eck laboratory at BTI includes researchers working on various aspects of plant biotechnology. Current lab members include Savanah Dale, Leah Erdmann, Ritesh Kumar, Aimee Malzahn, Kerry Swartwood, Julie Thakur, Elise Tomaszewski, and Fan Xia. The lab maintains active collaborations with researchers at Cornell University and other institutions, focusing on advancing plant genome editing technologies from the laboratory to field applications.
