Michigan Technological University MTU

PhD in Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology

You can research functional genomics, ecological genetics, gene expression profiling at the whole-genome scale, and genetic improvement of trees for sustainable biofuel.

Discover and characterize genes affecting wood biomass yield and quality with Victor Busov. Research the evolution of adaptive and species-specific characters with Oliver Gailing. Use combinatorial approaches to identify genes that regulate biological traits with Hairong Wei. The College has long-standing research collaborations with forest biotechnology industries and has received over $10 million in research funding from government agencies.

Our 6,500 square feet of lab space and 2,000 square feet of greenhouse space provide ample opportunities for research. Our facilities include DNA sequencing and microarray labs, metabolome and genome profiling labs, tissue culture and tree transformation labs, and ecological genomics labs. Study comparative gene expression and conduct genomic analysis using functional genomics instrumentation in our molecular biology facilities.