Dr. Wojtek Pawlowski 405 Bradfield Hall Cornell University phone: 607.254-8745 email: wp45@cornell.edu

The goal of the research in the Pawlowski lab is to understand the basis of inheritance in plants by studying the mechanisms governing chromosome behavior and genetic recombination in meiosis. Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that leads to the production of gametes. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes, one from the mother and the other one from the father, pair with each other and exchange parts (recombine). These processes are essential for accurate transmission of genetic material from parents to progeny and for generating genetic variation. Our research combines genetics, molecular biology, and cutting-edge microscopy to identify genes, and pathways that regulate meiosis. These basic studies will provide means to investigating how meiotic processes can be modified to improve plant breeding methods. We use two model plant systems, maize, one of the most important crop plants in the world, and a common weed, Arabidopsis thaliana.

For more information about the Pawlowski lab, please visit their website.