Rose Anna Marks

Rose Anna Marks is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the School of Integrative Biology and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Her work spans molecular genetics, evolutionary ecology, and computational biology to study plant resilience in extreme climates.

• Assistant Professor, Plant Biology
• Affiliate, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology

Research Focus: The Marks Lab investigates resurrection plants and their survival mechanisms during desiccation. By integrating molecular biology, physiology, and computational tools, her team deciphers genetic pathways, ecological patterns, and evolutionary histories of drought tolerance. Key themes include:

• Desiccation tolerance mechanisms
• Resurrection plant biology
• Evolutionary adaptation
• Climate change resilience
• Decolonizing scientific practices

Publication Trends: Recent work highlights convergent evolution of desiccation tolerance across grasses, polyploidy advantages in drought resistance, and microbial interactions in resurrection plants. Her studies emphasize genomics, phylogenetics, and interdisciplinary approaches to address agricultural and ecological challenges.