Scott Poethig

Scott Poethig is the John H. and Margaret B. Fassitt Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on plant development, particularly vegetative phase change and its molecular regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana and Acacia species. He also develops genetic tools for plant research, such as the Traffic Lines system.

• Ph.D., Yale University, 1981
• M.S., Yale University, 1977
• B.A., College of Wooster, 1974

His research explores how miRNAs like miR156 regulate developmental transitions through SPL transcription factors. Key areas include the interplay between vegetative phase change and reproductive competence, evolutionary adaptations in Acacias, and the ecological implications of plant developmental timing. Recent work highlights the role of environmental cues (e.g., light intensity) and epigenetic mechanisms in phase transitions.

Publications since 2021 reveal a focus on genetic tools, miRNA regulation, and developmental plasticity in plants. His Traffic Lines system has streamlined genetic analysis in Arabidopsis. Despite no explicit awards listed, his contributions to plant developmental genetics are widely recognized in the field.

Teaching includes courses like Biology 17: The Biology of Food and Biology 540: Genetic Analysis. The Poethig Lab at Penn continues advancing our understanding of plant growth and development through integrative approaches.