Robert T VanBuren

Robert T VanBuren is an Associate Professor affiliated with multiple programs at Michigan State University, including the Plant Resilience Institute, Genetics & Genome Sciences Program, and Cell & Molecular Biology Program. His research focuses on comparative genomics, molecular genetics of desiccation tolerance, engineering CAM photosynthesis, and crop domestication.

Research Interests: His work explores extreme plant survival mechanisms, particularly in resurrection plants like Myrothamnus flabellifolia, and applies computational methods to decode gene expression patterns. He investigates evolutionary innovations in C4 grasses and cereals, leveraging polyploidy and CRISPR technology for climate-resilient crop development.

• Key Article Trends (2025–2023):
  • Desiccation tolerance mechanisms in resurrection plants
  • Computational approaches to plant stress responses
  • Polyploidy and homoeologous exchange
  • CRISPR-enabled crop improvement
  • Topological analysis of gene networks

Teaching: He instructs courses such as CSS 892 (Plant Breeding & Genetics Seminar), HRT 812 (Graduate Laboratory Research), and PLB 812 (Plant Genomics), integrating interdisciplinary plant science and computational techniques.