A Breakthrough in Monocot Transformation Methods

Highlighted Author Profile

Keith Lowe

Highlighted Paper: Lowe et al et al. (2016). Morphogenic Regulators Baby boom and Wuschel Improve Monocot Transformation. Plant Cell. Advance Publication August 31, 2016; doi:10.1105/tpc.16.00124.

Current Position: R Research Scientist, Crop Genome Engineering. DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA.

Education: M.S (1981) in Biology and B.S (1979) in Botany at University of Michigan.

Non-scientific Interests: Antique radio restoration, antique car restoration and restoration of vintage automobile and vacuum tube test equipment.

I was introduced to plant tissue culture as a University of Michigan freshman in 1975 and a few years later learned about protoplast fusion while visiting the lab of Dr. Peter Carlson at Michigan State University. These experiences galvanized my interest in the nascent field of plant biotechnology in which I began my career in 1982 at Stauffer Chemical Company working on maize tissue culture, protoplast isolation and regeneration, continuing in the area of plant transformation at Advanced Genetic Sciences (AGS) and EniChem Americas and eventually joining Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl. in Johnston, IA where I have been working on maize transformation since 1991. By 1995, our lab was focused on the identification of maize transgenes that impart a growth advantage, first concentrating on cell cycle genes to stimulate division rates but rapidly shifting to morphogenic genes that would stimulate embryogenesis. The results presented here are what we hope will be a series of papers on the development of a universal, efficient and rapid cereal transformation system.