Grant: Canada Research Chairs

This research will continue to generate discoveries about the mechanisms of spatial organization of plant cell frameworks that determine plant shape. Wasteneys will integrate cutting edge microscopy with molecular-genetic strategies, focusing on microtubule assembly/disassembly, to understand further how these frameworks define the mechanical properties of cell walls. By understanding how plant shape formation is regulated, we can improve the efficiency of plant cellulose production from trees, e.g. poplar, of value for biofuel production. The program will contribute uniquely to understanding fundamental processes of importance not only in plants, but also, more broadly, in other cell systems, such as tumour cells.