Professor and Director of ICBR
Areas of Research
- Space biology
- Examination of 14-3-3 proteins
- Examination of chromatin structure
Educational Background
- Ph.D., M.A., Genetics and Biochemistry, Indiana University (1980)
- B.A., Hiram College (1976)
Work and International Experiences
- Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department (1990-present)
- Director Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (2006-present)
- Director of UF ICBR DNA Sequencing Laboratory (1988-present)
- Assistant Director, UF Biotechnology Program (1994-2006)
- Director of UF ICBR BEECS Genetics Laboratory (1992-1995)
- Chairman, Institutional Biosafety Committee (1998-1995)
- Administrative Council, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research at UF (1990-1991)
- Biological Sciences Teaching Program, University of Florida (1985-1987)
- Acting Chairman, Department of Botany, University of Florida (1986-1987)
- Associate Professor, Department of Vegetable Crops (1987-1990)
- Associate Professor, Department of Botany, University of Florida (1986-1987)
- Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Florida (1980-1986)
Honors and Awards
- Visiting Research Scientist: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Division of Plant Industry, Canberra, Australia 3/81 to 8/81
- Teacher of the Year, Lambda Gamma Phi Honorary Society, University of Florida, 1984
- Distinguished Teaching Award, 1984 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida
- Faculty Research Achievement Award 1987, 1989, 1992
- Harper Collins Biology Texts
- Board of Examiners for GRE Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1989 – 1996
- Award of Excellence for Graduate Research, IFAS, University of Florida, 1994
- US Secretary of Agriculture Honor Award for Excellence 1997
- CREES Recognition Award 1997
- UFRF Professorship 1999, 2005
- Chair- Science Council –Division of Space Life Sciences for USRA 2010-2013
- Member- National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council NASA Decadal Study, 2010
Program Personnel
- Natasha Sng, graduate student
- Eric Schultz, graduate student
- Matt Bamsey, postdoc
- Thomas Graham, postdoc
- Fiona Denison, postdoc
- Agata Zupanska, postdoc
- Lawrence Rasmussen, biologist
- Anna-Lisa Paul, Research Associate Professor
Selected Publications
- Zupanska AK, Ferl RJ, Denison FC, Paul A‐L. (2013) Spaceflight engages heat shock protein and other molecular chaperone genes in Arabidopsis tissue culture cells Am. Journal of Botany 100:235-248.
- Paul A-L, Wheeler R, Levine H, Ferl RJ. (2013) Fundamental plant biology enabled by the space shuttleAm. Journal of Botany 100:226-234
- Paul A‐L, Amalfitano CE, Ferl RJ. (2012) Plant growth strategies are remodeled by spaceflight. BMC Plant Biology. 12:232 doi:10.1186/1471-2229-12-232
- Paul A-L, Denison FC, Schultz ER, Zupanska AK, Ferl RJ (2012) 14-3-3 phosphoprotein interaction networks - does isoform diversity present functional interaction specification? Front Plant Sci 3: 190
- Schultz E, Zupanska A, Manning-Roach S, Camacho J, Levine H, Paul A-L and Ferl RJ (2012) Testing the Bio-compatibility of Aluminum PDFU BRIC Hardware. Gravitational and Space Biology 26(2): 48-63.
- Mayfield JD, Paul A-L, Ferl RJ (2012) The 14-3-3 proteins The 14-3-3 proteins of Arabidopsis regulate root growth and chloroplast development as components of the photosensory system. J. Exp.Botany
- Paul A-L, Zupanska A, Ostrow DT, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Li J-L, Shanker S, Farmerie WG, Amalfitano CE, Ferl RJ. Spaceflight transcriptomes: unique responses to a novel environment (2012) Astrobiology 12: 40-56
- Paul A-L and Ferl RJ (2011) Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter genes in RNAlater™ fixed tissue Gravitational and Space Biology 25(1): 40-43
- Paul A-L, Manak MS, Mayfield JD, Reyes MF, Gurley WB, and Ferl RJ. (2011) Parabolic flight induces changes in gene expression patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana. Astrobiology 2011 Oct;11(8):743-58
- Ferl RJ, Zupanska A, Spinale A, Reed D, Manning-Roach S, Guerra G, Cox D, Paul A-L (2011) Performance of KSC Fixation Tubes with RNALater for orbital experiments: a case study in ISS operations for molecular biology. Advances in Space Research 48: 199-206
- Visscher AM, A-L Paul, M Kirst, CL. Guy, AC. Schuerger, and RJ. Ferl (2010) Responses of wildtype arabidopsis and ion transporter mutants to high levels of magnesium sulfate; consequences for (extra)terrestrial plant growth. PLoS One 5(8): e12348
- Ferl RJ, Paul A-L (2010) Lunar Plant Biology – A Review the Apollo Era. Astrobiology 10: 261-74.
