Dr. Ainsworth is a Plant Physiologist in the Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit. Research in the Ainsworth Lab applies physiological, biochemical, and genomic tools to understand the mechanisms of plant responses to global atmospheric change and environmental stress. Current research is quantifying genetic variation in response to elevated ozone concentrations in soybean, maize and C4 bioenergy crops, developing and using high-throughput phenotyping techniques to identify ozone sensitivity and response to climate change, and identifying the genes and gene networks underpinning crop responses to global change. Research also aims to understand genetic variation in photosynthesis, canopy architecture, and leaf anatomy within crop species.
Photo Credit: Scott Gable