Position at UF: Associate
professor of Forest Genomics at the Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences.
Job before this one: Associate
professor in the Institute of Paper Science and Technology at Georgia Institute
of Technology.
Current research interest, in
layman’s terms: I’m interested in the development of the plant
vascular system. Wood, a vital natural resource, is the aggregate of the
secondary walls of plant vascular cells. Secondary cell wall composition and organization
determines their utility for conversion into energy or wood and paper products.
I am using genomic and proteomic approaches to dissect the genetic mechanisms
that underlie the complex traits (quantitative traits) of tree secondary growth
rates and wood formation.
Prior Research: My Ph.D.
research focused on biochemical analysis of photosynthesis and my postdoctoral
research focused on cloning and characterizing genes that encode the
rate-limiting enzyme for ethylene biosynthesis, a gaseous plant hormone
Education: AB in biology from the University of Chicago, Ph.D. in
plant biochemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Family: Married
to Joy with two sons Wilson, 4, and McKinley, 22 months.
When I'm not at work, I am: helping
to raise the kids, playing games and outdoor activities. I like to cook, but
not so much traditional dishes. Since I moved to Florida, it’s been a lot of
fish.
The best thing that I've done lately
that no one knows about: I bought a house close to the university.
Last non-work related book: Jack:
Straight from the Gut (To see what the hype was about)
Last movie in a theater and your
thoughts: Moved here in
October to start a new lab and raising young kids – takes a lot of time.
Something always in your refrigerator: Olives
People
would be surprised to know that: You don’t want to reveal too many
things. It’s better to maintain a little mystery.
Contact me at: gfpeter@ufl.edu