thecapitulab.com

The CapituLab

(Jones Lab)

Floral Development & Stem Cell Biology

In our lab, we study how plants develop and how novel plant forms arise.

Plant development begins in meristems, specialized tissues that contain stem cells. When stem cells divide, they produce cells that differentiate to make up the plant's organs (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers) as well as cells that maintain stem cell identity. This cycle is repeated when these daughter stem cells divide. This form of "stem cell maintenance" is found across all plants and is required to regulate growth throughout a plant’s life.

The sunflower family (Asteraceae) is the largest plant family with ~32,000 species. Its success has been attributed to the evolution of the capitulum, a compact inflorescence that appears and functions as a solitary flower but is comprised of many individual florets. The primary focus of our lab is on understanding how key changes in developmental programs (specifically those regulating stem cell maintenance) have contributed to the evolution of the Asteraceae capitulum.

CapituLab - News

Spring 2024

Sarita attended the regional ComSciCon Meeting in Atlanta and brought back invaluable insight on how to give effective scientific presentations!
Undergraduate Researchers Ashlyn Bazzel and Taylor Van Kralingen have started in the lab!
Erika presented her Bidens research at PAG in San Diego!

Fall 2023

Undergraduate Rhianna Cooley started doing graphic design work with Sarita
Daniel went on parental leave to welcome his daughter Addie Mae to the world!
Erika Lesperance and Reid Selby both started Graduate School in the lab
New Graduate Student Sarita Munoz-Gomez joined the lab (Welcome) - August 2023

Summer 2023

We hosted our first collaborator meeting for our capitulum evolution and development project. Three labs: Mandel (Memphis), Burke (UGA) and the CapituLab spent two days chatting science and making plans to get things off the ground
Dr. Vandana Gurung started in the CapituLab as a Postdoc (Welcome) - July 2023
Brannan, Evie and Reid all went to Boise, Idaho for the Botany Meeting. They presented three posters and tore up the dance floor!

Spring 2023

Undergraduate Researchers Erika Lesperance and Riley Schuld graduated!
Undergraduate Researchers Madeline Gwin and Evie Moellering have started in the lab

Fall 2022

Welcome to Guillian Hernández Casanova, PhD student working in both the CapituLab and the Leisner Labs here at Auburn

Summer 2022

Daniel, Brannan and Reid all went to Anchorage, Alaska for the Botany Meeting

Spring 2022

Welcome to The CapituLab's first graduate student Brannan Cliver
Undergraduate Researchers Riley Schuld and Erika Lesperance have started in the lab
Daniel, Brannan and Reid all went to Southern Section - ASPB and presented our lab's first poster

Fall 2021