Overview

Susan McCouch is a Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics and of Plant Biology at Cornell University. She received her PhD from Cornell in 1990 and spent 5 years with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines before joining the Cornell faculty in 1995. Her research focuses on rice and includes publication of the first molecular map of the rice genome in 1988, early QTL studies on disease resistance, drought tolerance, maturity and yield, development of the essential repertoire of SSR markers now used globally as a genomic resource in rice genetics and breeding, and cloning of genes underlying critical traits for rice improvement. Her current work focuses on rice domestication and the identification and characterization of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) from low-yielding wild and exotic Oryza species that enhance the performance of modern rice cultivars. She has trained scores of young scientists throughout the world, was recently elected a fellow of the AAAS and has received numerous research, teaching and faculty awards.

Research Focus

Current work focuses on both forward and reverse genetics approaches to the identification, functional characterization and evolutionary history of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with domestication and with plant improvement. She is particularly interested in understanding the genetic basis of transgressive variation and exploring how genes from low-yielding wild and exotic Oryza species that enhance the performance of modern rice cultivars.

Outreach and Extension Focus

1) The primary focus of my outreach activities is on providing middle and high school students with an opportunity to participate in basic, hands-on laboratory experiments involving plant molecular genetics and to think about how research in the plant sciences contributes to addressing problems of global food production, human nutrition and environmental sustainability. 2) In collaboration with scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Lab, my group also develops and curates a large, publicly available comparative plant genome database that integrates knowledge from many different disciplines and allows students and researchers to link molecular genetic information with knowledge about the way plants grow and develop in diverse environments. This offers plant breeders an opportunity to better utilize the vast amounts of information emerging from genomics to develop improved varieties of plants to meet the need for food, fuel and fiber of the growing human population. 3) The third focus of our outreach activities is the development of a 3-week course entitled "Rice: Research to Production" that is taught at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. It is designed to give students and young professionals the opportunity to become familiar with rice in its center of diversity and to establish international research collaborations early in their careers. The long term goal is to create a new generation of plant scientists that understand the importance of addressing global problems in agriculture, energy and the environment.

Instruction Focus

I teach both undergraduate and graduate level courses: 1) PlBr201: Plants, Genes and Global Food Production, is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the concepts and methods behind genetic improvement of crop plants. Both traditional and biotechnological approaches are discussed. The social and economic context of plant breeding is emphasized and the impact of the field on society is illustrated with specific examples. We trace the evolution of plant improvement from the pre-scientific days of crop domestication through the dawn of Mendelian genetics, to modern applications of biotechnology and genetic engineering. The course offers a blend of biology and social science, and encourages students to synthesize ideas across the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines. 2) BioPl483.1: Concepts and Techniques in Plant, Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB) is a rapidly-paced, graduate course that is intended to cover the broad spectrum of current techniques and concepts in plant molecular biology & molecular genetics. It is required for all graduate students in the PCMB program and is based on reading and discussion of original research papers in the field. Lectures emphasize critical experimental techniques, approaches, designs and underlying hypotheses that form the basis of Plant Genomics and Plant Biology today.

Additional Links

• CALS Impact Statements
• CALS Research Portal
• Gramene
• McCouch Lab
• NSF-Transgressive Variation in Rice
• Link to CALS Research portal
• Link to CALS Impact statements

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