Studying Plant Epigenetics to Make Food Crops Better

WRITTEN BY: Kara Marker

Dr. Tzung-Fu Hsieh is a scientist from the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) on the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. As a systems biologist, Hsieh studies the epigenetic interactions between components of different biological systems. Specifically, Hsieh researches gene imprinting, a process where one copy of a gene is expressed where the other is silent. Determining which gene plays which role depends on where each copy comes from: mother or father.

Hsieh studies a model system called arabidopsis, but he is hoping that his current epigenetics studies will be applicable to human food crop production in certain crops like rice.

About the Author

Kara Marker

Master's (MA/MS/Other)

I am a scientific journalist and enthusiast, especially in the realm of biomedicine. I am passionate about conveying the truth in scientific phenomena and subsequently improving health and public awareness. Sometimes scientific research needs a translator to effectively communicate the scientific jargon present in significant findings. I plan to be that translating communicator, and I hope to decrease the spread of misrepresented scientific phenomena! Check out my science blog: ScienceKara.com.

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DEC 15, 2020

Chemistry & Physics