Welcome

The Plant Biology Graduate Group at UC Davis offers interdisciplinary training in plant biology. The vertical organization of research in the group allows students to study plants at levels of inquiry ranging from molecules to populations. Although research training is focused primarily on acquiring basic knowledge, the Agricultural Experiment Station on campus allows opportunities for exposure to and participation in research with applied goals.

The Plant Biology Graduate Group at UC Davis provides excellent training opportunities for its graduate students for several reasons. First, UC Davis is an internationally recognized center for the plant sciences. Although plant scientists are affiliated with many different departments, the Plant Biology Graduate Group is interdepartmental. Therefore, students in the group can can access the complete expertise of plant biology on campus and train with faculty in any department. Second, the Plant Biology Graduate Group has a world-class faculty, thus allowing students to participate in programs at the forefront of research in their field. Many seminal discoveries in plant biology have been and continue to be made at UC Davis. Third, the curriculum is geared to provide both a breadth of knowledge in plant biology and specialized training in specific areas of research.

Research in the Plant Biology Graduate Group is divided into four areas: Cell and Developmental Biology, Environmental and Integrative Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & Genomics, and Systematics and Evolution Biology. In actuality, these groupings serve as guidelines in that the research of many students span two or more of these areas. Fourth, UC Davis has state-of-the-art facilities for research in plant biology that facilitate forefront research in plant biology.

We welcome bright and motivated students to apply for admission to our program. Most of our students are in the Ph.D. program, but we also welcome applications to our Masters program. Please explore the links on this Web site to learn more about our program. For specific questions, please feel free to contact Erin McMurry, our program coordinator, at emcmurry@ucdavis.edu or me at kinoue@ucdavis.edu.

- Kentaro Inoue, Professor of Plant Sciences and Chair of the Plant Biology Graduate Group