The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is thrilled to unveil the exceptional individuals who will make up the 2025 cohort of Plantae Fellows. This prestigious program brings together a diverse group of passionate plant scientists, each poised to contribute their unique expertise and perspectives to the vibrant global plant science community.
Plantae, the online home for plant biologists powered by ASPB, has firmly established itself as a premier resource for the latest research, cutting-edge tools, and engaging discussions. This endeavor would not be possible without the dedicated efforts of a talented team of Plantae Fellows, who work tirelessly to nurture and grow this invaluable platform.
The 2025 Plantae Fellows were selected for their unwavering commitment to the plant science community, their exceptional science communication skills, and their ability to curate and create compelling content. This impressive group represents a wide range of career stages, geographical locations, and research specialties, ensuring that Plantae continues to serve the diverse needs of plant scientists worldwide.
Cultivating Connections and Inspiring Change
As Plantae Fellows, these individuals will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the platform. From contributing to the popular Plant Science Research Weekly series to coordinating and moderating engaging webinars, the Fellows will be at the forefront of fostering meaningful discussions and disseminating knowledge.
Moreover, the Fellows will provide valuable insights and feedback on the ongoing development of the Plantae platform, ensuring that it remains a cutting-edge and user-friendly resource for the global plant science community.
“The Plantae Fellows program is a testament to ASPB’s dedication to empowering the next generation of plant science leaders,” said Jayson Padilla, ASPB’s Community Manager. “This cohort of talented individuals brings a wealth of expertise and passion that will undoubtedly elevate Plantae to new heights.”
Introducing the 2025 Plantae Fellows
Without further ado, let us introduce the exceptional individuals who will be shaping the Plantae community in the year 2025:
Krishna Chaitanya Alamuru is a PhD student at the University of Southern Queensland, specializing in plant pathology, genomics, and genetics. His research focuses on understanding plant disease resistance through Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS), host-pathogen interaction mechanisms, and host range studies, particularly in mungbean. Krishna is passionate about applying advanced molecular techniques to enhance sustainable agricultural practices and crop resilience. Outside of work, he is a nature enthusiast who enjoys traveling and cooking.
Gourav Arora is a second-year doctoral researcher in the Coupland department at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne. His work focuses on the regulation of flowering time in Arabidopsis, specifically through the FT-FD module. Originally from Haryana, Gourav completed his master’s degree at the University of Delhi, India. Passionate about science communication, Gourav enjoys sharing scientific concepts with the general public. In his free time, he loves capturing the beauty of nature through photography, particularly flowers and plants. He also enjoys watching anime, playing table tennis, and reading Hindi poetry.
Mohammad Aslam is a Senior Postdoctoral Associate at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. His research focuses on the intricate mechanisms of ovule/seed development, with a particular interest in how environmental cues impact seed development. Currently, he is exploring the genetic factors behind seed protein and oil traits in soybean.
Villő Bernád is a final-year PhD student at UCD, focusing on the study of waterlogging stress in barley. Her research interests lie in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology. Additionally, she is an enthusiastic and engaged member of her school community. In her leisure time, she enjoys the craft of crochet.
Aditi Bhat has been fascinated by plant-environment interactions, and she currently investigates the diverse role of receptor-like-kinases in regulating plant autoimmunity as a postdoctoral researcher in Haney lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to this, she conducted her doctoral research at the Pennsylvania State University, studying how Arabidopsis roots perceive and respond to mechanical stresses. Thereafter, she did her postdoctoral research at Brookhaven National Laboratory, where she focused on understanding the mechanisms behind growing bioenergy crops like Poplar and Sorghum in marginal lands, along with legumes such as Medicago in heavy metal-contaminated areas. Outside of the lab, she likes exploring new areas through food and hikes, taking copious pictures along the way.
Hao Chen is a PhD student keen on how CEP peptide signalling dictate root system architecture. He is currently based in Canberra, Australia, where he spends most of his spare time socializing with friends over dinners and drinks.
Elisa De Meo is in the final year of her PhD at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. Her research revolves around RNA interference and miRNA movement, uncovering how these mechanisms help plants adapt to environmental conditions. Passionate about plant science, Elisa is also excited about outdoor activities, enjoying both swimming and hiking in her free time.
Gabriela Doria is a botanist and paleobotanist focused on plant evolution and biodiversity. Her research combines morphological, molecular, and ecological approaches to explore flower development, pollination biology, and the relationships between fossil and modern plants in the context of environmental change.
Jerry Javier González Cantoral is a Guatemalan biologist with a great passion for plants. He has dedicated himself to studying secondary metabolites in an endangered Guatemalan species, but life has put him to work on several other things. He has worked in plant tissue culture and biotechnology, is studying a Master’s Degree in Plant Health, and now teaches Plant Physiology at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. He also takes salsa and bachata classes. He has tons of stories to share, which is great because storytelling is one of the best ways to influence making the world a better place.
Carlos González Sanz is a biotechnologist doing a PhD at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Spain. His research focuses on understanding the effect of high temperatures in plants on fungal microbiota recruitment and searching for new isolates that help tackle this stress. He is passionate about nature and enjoys hiking and volleyball.
Irene I. Ikiriko is a PhD candidate at the University of Delaware, where she is investigating factors that contribute to changes in plant mechanics over lifespan. Her ultimate goal is to link plant mechanics to cellular mechano-perception. Her research is punctuated by work at her foundation (Dauntless Widows Foundation), her love for writing, trying new recipes, and learning about history.
Elise Krespan is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Biology at Syracuse University. Her work investigates combined transgenic and mycorrhizal strategies of optimizing poplar growth, cell wall characteristics, and response to altered nutrient conditions. Elise is also interested in interdisciplinarity and the intersections between Biology and Design.
Yee-Shan Ku is a Post-doctoral researcher at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is interested in comprehending life sciences at the molecular level. Her research focuses on plant-microbe interaction.
Katarina Kurtović is a final-year PhD student at Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Her research focuses on the evolution of phytohormone auxin transport and response in algal relatives of land plants. When not in the lab, she teaches yoga, goes on hikes, plays with her cat, and visits Croatia, where she is from.
Yuanyuan Liu began her academic journey at the University of British Columbia and now leads a research group at Fujian Agriculture University. Her work focuses on engineering plant metabolic pathways to produce valuable compounds for human and plant health, with studies on cannabis, tomato, and tobacco, all of which have significant biological and economic impact. She’s also passionate about science communication, serving as an associate editor for Botany and consulting for industry, connecting academia with practical applications. As a true plant lover, Yuanyuan can often be found in her garden, where she lovingly tends to her collection of orchids, caladiums, and begonias—her botanical dream team.
Kestrel Maio is a second-year PhD candidate at the John Innes Centre studying the molecular mechanisms underlying how flowers develop their complex shapes, using the model system Arabidopsis thaliana. Her research integrates computational biology with molecular genetics to uncover conserved laws underlying morphogenesis. Kes loves being outdoors, exploring new places, and is eager to learn how to implement more environmentally-friendly practices in day-to-day science.
Mae Antonette Mercado is a Filipina PhD Candidate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on studying key factors in photosynthesis evolution in wild grasses and heat stress tolerance in maize. Outside work, she likes to do brush pen calligraphy, baking, and singing.
Malini Muthu Karpagam is a postdoctoral associate at the Plant Physiology Arts Community Engagement (PLACE) lab at Smith College, Massachusetts, where she studies how native conifers in the Northeastern U.S. respond to drought and cold. During her Ph.D., she explored the impact of high-temperature stress on rice, and her transition to forest trees has expanded her understanding of plant physiology across ecosystems. Outside research, Malini teaches, creates science blurbs, writes blog posts, and enjoys working on art projects and traveling.
Ciara O’Brien is a postdoctoral researcher in the John Innes Centre (UK) working on starch metabolism in potato. Originally from Ireland, Ciara moved to the UK to study postharvest ripening at Cranfield University for their PhD, where they fell in love with science communication, from teaching to outreach. They are excited to learn more about the power of plants and connect with the global plant science community.
Nathaniel Oragbon is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech. He is interested in the factors that shape secondary metabolism in fruit. For his dissertation, he is investigating the effects of management systems, regional climate, pests, and pathogens on apple and strawberry phenolic composition and diversity.
Xavier Ozowara is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech. He is interested in the factors that shape secondary metabolism in fruit. For his dissertation, he is investigating the effects of management systems, regional climate, pests, and pathogens on apple and strawberry phenolic composition and diversity.
Ved Prakash is from Varanasi, India. Currently, he is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Shahideh Nouri’s lab at Kansas State University, where he is screening a large panel of wild wheat relatives for tolerance/resistance against Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus and Triticum Mosaic Virus. In his free time, he enjoys birdwatching and astrophotography.
Rini Rahiman has been working as a research fellow at the National University of Singapore for the past two years. Her research focuses on how environmental factors, such as light and temperature, influence the formation and patterning of stomata on the leaf epidermis. At her core, she is a passionate molecular biologist who also deeply enjoys teaching and sharing knowledge.
Maya Sealander is a graduate student at the University of Missouri, where she spends most of her days shining bright lights on plants to investigate the mechanisms behind ROS production. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys doing art projects, playing Pokemon, and eating vegan sushi.
Stephanie Temnyk may have just graduated with a Master’s degree in biology from Arizona State University, but she considers herself a “forever student” with a passion to continually learn. Stephanie’s research background involved characterizing chloroplast-targeted genes, which were originally implicated in peptidoglycan production of the cyanobacterial plastid ancestor. Her interests always drew her to the genetic crop improvement space, and she is thrilled to now work for Corteva Agriscience with the PCR and Marker Technologies team.
These exceptional individuals represent the diverse and dynamic plant science community, and ASPB is honored to have them as the 2025 Plantae Fellows. Their dedication, expertise, and enthusiasm will undoubtedly elevate the Plantae platform, fostering meaningful connections and inspiring the next generation of plant scientists.
To stay updated on the latest developments from the Plantae Fellows and the Plantae community, be sure to follow @plantae_org on Twitter and visit Plantae.org regularly.
