TRPLSC-1172; No. of Pages 2
Scientific Life: TrendsTalk
Interview with Rebecca A. Mosher Rebecca A. Mosher1,2 1 2
School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Rebecca Mosher began working in research laboratories at the University of Arizona at age 15 and quickly discovered a love of science. After completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Arizona, with majors in Molecular & Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, she performed doctoral work in the Program in Genetics and Genomics at Duke University. During graduate work Rebecca discovered the emerging field of epigenetics and decided to indulge her hobby of travel by pursuing postdoctoral research in Europe under the supervision of David Baulcombe, first at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK and later at the University of Cambridge. In 2010 she returned to Tucson, Arizona to begin her own research group in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona. Although interested in fundamental molecular processes that are shared by all eukaryotes, Rebecca has always studied plants because of their tractable biology, importance to humans, and pretty green color. Her current research is focused on epigenetic inheritance and interactions between epigenomes during sexual reproduction. What influenced your path into plant biology? My early experience in research laboratories was very influential in directing me to plant biology. As a high school student I had only the simplest understanding of molecular biology and really no awareness of plant biology. Almost by chance I ended up in the lab of David Mount studying UVsensitive mutants of Arabidopsis. The graduate students and postdocs I worked with showed me how powerful plants are as an experimental system, and as I learned more about plants as a molecular model I realized they have fascinating biology of their own. I was fortunate to experience research in several plant molecular biology labs, but one summer I decided that I should at least try research outside of plants. A miserable 2 months stuck in a sterile hood working in cell culture solidified my desire to always work with plants! What are the benefits of being a plant scientist? Do you mean other than the fabulous wealth and glamorous lifestyle? There are a lot of benefits to being a research scientist – flexible hours, smart colleagues, opportunities to travel, and no dress code. Beyond that, I think plant scientists should take great pride in focusing on an area that truly has the potential to transform the world. Corresponding author: Mosher, R.A. ([email protected]). 1360-1385/ ß 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2014.04.002
Roughly 7.5 million people die of hunger each year, including 3 million children under age 5 (from the United Nations World Food Program). Those children who survive hunger often face a life where their physical and mental potential is diminished by malnutrition. While the human population continues to grow, human activity and a changing climate increase food insecurity. Plant science is focused on solutions to produce more food and healthier food with less environmental impact. I find it rewarding to be part of that goal, in however small a way. What advice would you give to young scientists? Ask questions in seminar! Don’t be worried that your question is naı¨ve or that the answer was presented but you missed it. Seminar speakers love to answer questions about their research, including clarifying points that someone missed. There is nothing worse than giving a seminar and having no one interested enough to ask questions afterward! There is also no better way to gain the notice and admiration of your senior colleagues. Asking questions in seminar demonstrates that you can absorb new material quickly, think critically, and that you have an interest in science beyond your own research questions. What is the best advice you have been given? My graduate advisor insisted that I checked my plants every day in the growth room. Of course this was useful for quickly spotting problems with pests or watering schedules, but mostly she was building my ability to see the plants. When you observe them closely and frequently you notice changes and phenotypes that a more casual scientist will miss. What big questions interest you in the long term? I am very interested in how information is passed from generation to generation, especially epigenetic information. We know how DNA is replicated, segregated into germ cells, and passed to progeny, but we are only beginning to understand the same processes for the epigenome. A particular interest of mine is how the epigenomes interact during reproduction – not only interactions between the maternal and paternal epigenomes but also between the maternal and zygotic epigenomes. These are questions that are fundamental to all sexual organisms, but are also highly practical, with impacts for crop breeding programs. What is the biggest hindrance to science? Right now I think science suffers from a tremendous lack of credibility among the public. On issues as diverse as the cause of climate change, the safety of genetically Trends in Plant Science xx (2014) 1–2
1
TRPLSC-1172; No. of Pages 2
Scientific Life: TrendsTalk modified organisms, evolution, and the need for animal research, many laymen vociferously disagree with or even deny scientific consensus. There are probably many causes of this problem – using the issues for political gain and poor scientific education spring to mind – but I think the root
2
Trends in Plant Science xxx xxxx, Vol. xxx, No. x
cause is that the public does not trust scientists to work for the public good. As plant scientists it is vital that we communicate how plant science, especially biotechnology, has already shaped the world we live in, and why it is crucial for our future.
Scientific Life: TrendsTalk
Interview with Rebecca A. Mosher Rebecca A. Mosher1,2 1 2
School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Rebecca Mosher began working in research laboratories at the University of Arizona at age 15 and quickly discovered a love of science. After completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Arizona, with majors in Molecular & Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, she performed doctoral work in the Program in Genetics and Genomics at Duke University. During graduate work Rebecca discovered the emerging field of epigenetics and decided to indulge her hobby of travel by pursuing postdoctoral research in Europe under the supervision of David Baulcombe, first at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK and later at the University of Cambridge. In 2010 she returned to Tucson, Arizona to begin her own research group in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona. Although interested in fundamental molecular processes that are shared by all eukaryotes, Rebecca has always studied plants because of their tractable biology, importance to humans, and pretty green color. Her current research is focused on epigenetic inheritance and interactions between epigenomes during sexual reproduction. What influenced your path into plant biology? My early experience in research laboratories was very influential in directing me to plant biology. As a high school student I had only the simplest understanding of molecular biology and really no awareness of plant biology. Almost by chance I ended up in the lab of David Mount studying UVsensitive mutants of Arabidopsis. The graduate students and postdocs I worked with showed me how powerful plants are as an experimental system, and as I learned more about plants as a molecular model I realized they have fascinating biology of their own. I was fortunate to experience research in several plant molecular biology labs, but one summer I decided that I should at least try research outside of plants. A miserable 2 months stuck in a sterile hood working in cell culture solidified my desire to always work with plants! What are the benefits of being a plant scientist? Do you mean other than the fabulous wealth and glamorous lifestyle? There are a lot of benefits to being a research scientist – flexible hours, smart colleagues, opportunities to travel, and no dress code. Beyond that, I think plant scientists should take great pride in focusing on an area that truly has the potential to transform the world. Corresponding author: Mosher, R.A. ([email protected]). 1360-1385/ ß 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2014.04.002
Roughly 7.5 million people die of hunger each year, including 3 million children under age 5 (from the United Nations World Food Program). Those children who survive hunger often face a life where their physical and mental potential is diminished by malnutrition. While the human population continues to grow, human activity and a changing climate increase food insecurity. Plant science is focused on solutions to produce more food and healthier food with less environmental impact. I find it rewarding to be part of that goal, in however small a way. What advice would you give to young scientists? Ask questions in seminar! Don’t be worried that your question is naı¨ve or that the answer was presented but you missed it. Seminar speakers love to answer questions about their research, including clarifying points that someone missed. There is nothing worse than giving a seminar and having no one interested enough to ask questions afterward! There is also no better way to gain the notice and admiration of your senior colleagues. Asking questions in seminar demonstrates that you can absorb new material quickly, think critically, and that you have an interest in science beyond your own research questions. What is the best advice you have been given? My graduate advisor insisted that I checked my plants every day in the growth room. Of course this was useful for quickly spotting problems with pests or watering schedules, but mostly she was building my ability to see the plants. When you observe them closely and frequently you notice changes and phenotypes that a more casual scientist will miss. What big questions interest you in the long term? I am very interested in how information is passed from generation to generation, especially epigenetic information. We know how DNA is replicated, segregated into germ cells, and passed to progeny, but we are only beginning to understand the same processes for the epigenome. A particular interest of mine is how the epigenomes interact during reproduction – not only interactions between the maternal and paternal epigenomes but also between the maternal and zygotic epigenomes. These are questions that are fundamental to all sexual organisms, but are also highly practical, with impacts for crop breeding programs. What is the biggest hindrance to science? Right now I think science suffers from a tremendous lack of credibility among the public. On issues as diverse as the cause of climate change, the safety of genetically Trends in Plant Science xx (2014) 1–2
1
TRPLSC-1172; No. of Pages 2
Scientific Life: TrendsTalk modified organisms, evolution, and the need for animal research, many laymen vociferously disagree with or even deny scientific consensus. There are probably many causes of this problem – using the issues for political gain and poor scientific education spring to mind – but I think the root
2
Trends in Plant Science xxx xxxx, Vol. xxx, No. x
cause is that the public does not trust scientists to work for the public good. As plant scientists it is vital that we communicate how plant science, especially biotechnology, has already shaped the world we live in, and why it is crucial for our future.
