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Assistant Professor
(319) 273-7152
McCollum Science Hall 91
Education:
- Ph.D. (2005) Department of Botany, University of Toronto, Canada. Collaborative Program in Developmental Biology.
- B. Sc. (1999) Biological Sciences (Major: Biology, Minor: Zoology), University of Toronto, Canada.
- Honors B.A. (1996) Humanities (Major: Studio/Fine Arts, Minor: Art History), McMaster University, Canada.
Teaching Interests:
Developmental Plant Anatomy,
Plant Morphology and Evolution,
Light Microcscopy Methods in Biology,
Cell Structure and Function
Research:
My research program is to understand the evolution and homology of leaf shape and vein pattern. We use a variety of plant species to investigate this correlation. Some of our projects include:
- Investigating the evolution of compound and simple leaves in the genus Ampelopsis (Vitaceae). Homologous structures are studied using histological, molecular, and morphometric techniques.
- Analyzing vein pattern in compound leaves of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Vascular marker genes, AtHB-8::GUS and DR5::VENUS, is used to visualize developing vascular strands so that vein pattern can be mapped during leaf development.
- Morning glory leaf mutants are analyzed to determine how morphogenic competency along the blade margin changes based on leaf shape.
Publications:
- Jones A, Doughan B, Gerrath J, Kang J. (2013) Development of leaf shape in two North American species of Ampelopsis (Vitaceae). Botany 91: 857-865.
- Townsley BT, Sinha NR, Kang J. (2013) KNOX1 genes regulate lignin deposition and composition in monocots and dicots. Frontiers in Plant Evolution and Development. 4 (121): 1-11.
- Kang J, Brady SM. (2012) Spatiotemporal regulation of vascular patterning. In "The Plant Vascular System: From Evolution to Function". J. Integrative Biology. Ed. W. Lucas. 55(4): 294-388.
- Alakonya A, Kumar R, Koenig D, Kimura S, Townsley B, Runo S, Garces HM, Kang J, Yanez A, David-Swartz R, Machuka J, Sinha N. (2012) Interspecific RNA interference of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS-Like disrupts Cuscuta pentagona plant parasitism. Plant Cell 24: 3153-3166.
- Kang J, Sinha N. (2011) Regulation of Leaf Shape in Yearbook of Science and Technology. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
- Kang J, Sinha N. (2010) Leaflet initiation is temporally and spatially separated in simple and complex tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaf mutants: a developmental analysis. Botany 88: 710-724.
- Koenig D, Bayer E, Kang J, Kuhlemeier C, Sinha N. (2009) Auxin patterns Solanum lycopersicum leaf morphogenesis. Development 136: 2997-3006
- Kimura S, Koenig D, Kang J, Yoong FY, Sinha N. (2008) Natural variation in leaf morphology results from mutation of a novel KNOX gene. Current Biology 18: 672-677.
- Kang J, Mizukami Y, Wang H, Fowke L, Dengler NG. (2007) Modification of cell proliferation patterns alters leaf vein architecture in Arabidopsis thaliana. Planta 226: 1207-1218.
- Kang J, Dengler NG. (2004) Vein pattern development in adult leaves of Arabidopsis. International Journal of Plant Sciences 165: 231-242.
- Kang J, Dengler NG (2004) Leaf Architecture – regulation of leaf position, shape and internal structure. In Plant Architecture and its Manipulation, Annual Plant Reviews, Vol. 17. (Turnbull, C., ed), Blackwell Publishing: UK.
- Kang J, Tang J, Donnelly PM, Dengler NG. (2003) Primary vascular pattern and expression of ATHB-8 in shoots of Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 158: 443-454.
- Dengler NG, Kang J (2003) Plant growth and development: Leaf development. Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences. (Thomas B, Murphy DJ, Murray BG. eds.). Elsevier: UK.
- Kang J, Dengler NG. (2002) Cell cycling frequency and expression of the homeobox gene ATHB-8 during leaf vein development in Arabidopsis. Planta 216: 212-219.
- Jesson L, Kang J, Wagner S, Barrett SCH, Dengler NG. (2002).The development of enantiostyly. American Journal of Botany 90: 183-195.
- Dengler NG, Kang J. (2000) Vascular patterning and leaf shape. Current Opinions in Plant Biology 4: 50-6.