Boyce Thompson Inst

Discovery inspired by plants. Click the link to explore more about BTI and for our “House Rules” for Social Media Comments.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to our summer REU students! We're thrilled to have them at BTI and can't wait to share their research, discoveries, and summer adventures in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned for updates as they explore, learn, and contribute to cutting-edge science.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

For more than 100 years, BTI has been a place where bold ideas take root — and sometimes grow into something even bigger.

BTI alumnus Pedro Rodrigues has co-founded PrecizionIQ, an India-based health technology startup developing non-invasive prenatal diagnostics that recently earned top honors at the PanIIT Bangalore Summit 2026. The company is also advised by former BTI employee Murli Manohar and BTI emeritus faculty member Daniel Klessig, highlighting the lasting connections and collaborations that grow from the BTI community.

Read how BTI's culture of discovery, mentorship, and innovation is helping shape the future of global health innovation: https://t.co/8VanJWtfGR

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Today we took a "paws" from our normal activities for some very important research on ear scratches, belly rubs, and treat distribution. Thanks to Cornell Companions for helping BTI take a Paws for a Break today!

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

PhD candidate Yu-Heng Hsieh is studying the signaling compounds that help plants recruit nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, research that could one day help reduce the need for agricultural fertilizers. This work was made possible through support from the Triad Foundation, helping advance innovative research with real-world agricultural impact.

[Zhangjun Fei @fei_lab]

Glad to share our paper on Watermelon pangenome constructed from 138 genome assemblies.@BTIscience @CornellCALS https://t.co/xqeGSk1lHr

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

This week, we were proud to welcome the BTI Board of Directors for an engaging and productive visit focused on the future of the Institute. Discussions around BTI’s Strategic Plan highlighted the strong community, collaboration, and leadership driving our mission forward.

We’re also excited to congratulate Dr. Andrew Nelson on his unanimous approval as BTI’s new Vice President of Research!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the visit such a success — and to our Board members, faculty, and staff whose dedication continues to drive BTI forward through innovation, collaboration, and discovery.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

BTI PhD candidate Elizabeth "Lizzie" Trost is digging into the powerful partnership between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. With support from the Triad Foundation, Lizzie is exploring the molecular biology behind this underground teamwork and helping pave the way for stronger, more resilient crops in the future. Watch to learn how tiny fungi could help grow big solutions for agriculture.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Plants and fungi have been cooperating underground for hundreds of millions of years. Plants provide lipids; fungi supply phosphorus in return. But the science of how it works – at the cellular level – has remained one of the great unanswered questions in plant biology.

That's the question at the center of Dr. Natalie Hoffmann's research, and it's what earned her the inaugural Jane Silverthorne Postdoctoral Fellowship at BTI.

Working in Dr. Maria Harrison's lab, she's investigating how plants allow beneficial fungi to enter their cell walls. The answers could point toward new ways to support crop growth and food security.

The fellowship honors the legacy of Dr. Jane Silverthorne, a celebrated plant biologist and BTI Board member who championed curiosity-driven science throughout her career.

Full story: https://t.co/1AaOQrG3Xv

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Ever wonder what makes watermelon so sweet and vibrantly red? It's genetics – shaped over millions of years and refined through centuries of human breeding. But this same process also stripped away traits that make watermelons more resilient against disease and environmental stress.

BTI scientist Dr. Zhangjun Fei and an international team just published a new resource to help change that: the watermelon super-pangenome, integrating 138 genomes from all seven wild and cultivated watermelon species. Published in Nature Genetics, the work identifies specific genetic variants linked to fruit sweetness, flesh color, and pathogen resistance – some of which couldn't have been detected with any previous method.

The team also built predictive breeding models from their findings. The application is faster, more targeted development of watermelons that are tough enough to handle disease pressure and good enough to keep earning a spot at the table.

Read the full story here: https://t.co/tA1vqwdXAQ

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

BTI has been awarded a USDA grant to expand plant biotechnology education for K–12 students across New York. Through hands-on learning—including growing and studying the Purple Tomato™—this initiative will connect students with real-world science and meaningful community engagement. Cultivating curiosity today to grow the innovators of tomorrow. https://t.co/k0HEJdu2Mi

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

This project explores how plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi work together in a mutually beneficial partnership that helps more than 70% of flowering plants absorb nutrients from the soil. In this relationship, both partners benefit: the fungi help plants access nutrients like phosphate, and in return, the fungi receive essential fatty acids that they cannot produce on their own.

Building on recent gene expression data, the research team will combine genetic and metabolomic tools to study how specific plant-made lipids help regulate this symbiosis. The ultimate goal is to better understand and potentially enhance this partnership so plants can take up more phosphate through their fungal partners, improving nutrient acquisition in a sustainable way.

We are deeply grateful to the Triad Foundation for their continued support of BTI and for helping make research like this possible.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Plant-derived cardiac glycosides, which inhibit a key cellular enzyme called the sodium-potassium pump (Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase), have been used for centuries in both traditional and modern medicine as a treatment for heart disease. Partially blocking Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity leads to a slower and stronger heartbeat. However, the endogenous molecules that regulate this essential human enzyme remain unknown.

This project seeks to identify regulators of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase in mammalian tissues using enzyme activity assays and comparative metabolomics. Discovering such molecules will answer long-standing questions about how Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase is controlled in the human body, and could also guide new treatments for congestive heart failure and other metabolic diseases.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Ozone (O₃) protects life high in the atmosphere, but at ground level it becomes a pollutant that can reduce photosynthesis and weaken plant stress responses. Ground-level ozone is also rising in many areas due to higher temperatures and reduced soil moisture linked to climate change.

This study examines how ozone has affected vegetation across 244 units of the U.S. National Park System. By comparing current five-year monitoring data with a similar assessment from 20 years ago, Dr. Kohut will assess how changing air quality standards and climate conditions have influenced risks to native plant species in national parks.

This project also marks the culmination of a century of air pollution research at BTI and the conclusion of its environmental biology program.

We are grateful to the Triad Foundation for their continued support of BTI and for making research like this possible!

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

#EarthDay sprouted in 1970, growing into a nationwide call to protect our planet.

At BTI, we’re rooted in a mission to grow planet-positive agriculture and keep pushing the frontiers of plant and life science—for people and the planet. This Earth Day, let’s cultivate real solutions together for a healthier world.

Ready to plant the seeds of change?

🌱 Check out https://t.co/UgXFWiyWGR to support innovative research at BTI. 🍃 Share our mission to inspire others. 🌿Follow us for the latest updates and breakthroughs in plant science.

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

A century-old mystery, modern DNA, and a groundbreaking recognition. BTI’s Eric Richards has been named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow—diving into forgotten experiments to uncover what they can teach us about genetics today. Read how the past is shaping the future: https://t.co/sFGQjK5tlN

#guggfellows2026

[PlantGENE @plant_gene]

Communicating your research well is a vital skill for scientists and has far-reaching impacts for society. This workshop will introduce the audience to the importance of science communication and best practices.

REGISTER HERE: https://t.co/1MXkeDXRdD

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

New research highlighted by https://t.co/HGvcx86j28 from BTI President Silvia Restrepo shows how fungal endophytes could help cacao plants better withstand drought. A promising step toward protecting a crop that is vital for chocolate, pharmaceuticals, and more as climate pressures grow. https://t.co/z7Xn77AouQ

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

As the weather heats up, so did the competition at BTI’s Annual Chili & Soup Cookoff! 🌶️🔥Huge thanks to everyone who brought the heat with their chili and soup creations—and to all who came out to taste and vote!

Congrats to our winners:
• Spicy Black Bean Chili – Anne Bennion & Angie Marbello Santrich
• Cream of Tomato Soup – Riley Henderson

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Despite its economic importance, breeding improved cucumber varieties—plants that resist disease better, produce ideal fruit shapes, or avoid hollow centers—has remained incredibly difficult. BTI scientists created a powerful tool to help. Professor Zhangjun Fei's team developed the most comprehensive cucumber genetic map ever assembled. The breakthrough? When breeders introduce good traits from wild cucumbers, harmful genetic "baggage" often comes along for the ride. Now they have a tool to help identify and remove it. Read more: https://t.co/ZyA4fvNhye

[Boyce Thompson Inst @BTIscience]

Most of the world's food comes from just a handful of crops. That's efficient—but it's also fragile. Hundreds of nutritious alternatives exist but remain underutilized because they haven't been adapted for modern farming. Take goldenberry: consumed in the Andes for centuries, packed with nutrients, and increasingly popular worldwide. But the plants grow too wild for commercial agriculture.

BTI researchers just solved that problem. Using CRISPR, Professor Joyce Van Eck's team engineered compact plants 35% shorter than wild goldenberries. They've already secured USDA clearance and are pursuing FDA approval. The real story? This approach works for other overlooked crops too—passion fruit, groundcherry, and more.

Plant science: expanding what we grow and diversifying what we eat. Read more: https://t.co/xC9Cs4X7E3