Brad Nelms

My research focuses on understanding cell differentiation during plant reproduction using a combination of experimental and computational genomics. I moved from the biomedical sciences into plant biology after graduate school because I am inspired by the potential of basic plant research to impact food security and sustainability. The long-term objective of my lab will be to bend and break existing constraints on plant breeding through knowledge of plant reproduction. We will combine mechanistic studies on fundamental reproductive processes, such as pollen development, with the establishment of methods to control these processes and reprogram cell fate. Students and post-docs will have the opportunity to use a variety of techniques, combining genetics and microscopy with new tools in genomics, such as single-cell RNA-sequencing and high-content cell based screening. I will be accepting rotation students in the fall of 2020 – feel free to reach out if you would like to hear about potential projects.