R. Keith Slotkin

Dr. R. Keith Slotkin is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri and Principal Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley (2005). His research focuses on understanding how transposable elements are epigenetically silenced, particularly in plants, and their roles in genome stability and evolution. His work integrates molecular genetics, epigenetics, and computational biology to explore mechanisms of transposable element regulation.

Research interests include transposable element dynamics, DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, and the evolutionary implications of epigenetic silencing. His lab uses Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system due to plants' unique germline and epigenetic inheritance characteristics.

Awards:

• Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow (2013)
• Early Career Award, American Society of Plant Biologists (2010)

Lab & Affiliations:

• Laboratory at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
• Focus on transposable element recognition, epigenetic inheritance, and co-opted gene regulation mechanisms