UFGI faculty profile – gary peter

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