Wilfred Vermerris
Associate Professor
Research Focus
Research in Dr. Vermerris’ lab is focused on gaining a better understanding of the relationship between plant cell wall structure and function. Mutants and transgenics with altered cell wall composition are used as a tool to investigate this relationship in a number of species, including maize, sorghum, sugarcane, and poplar.
As part of the multi-institutional Cell Wall Genomics project funded by the NSF’s Plant Genome Program, Dr. Vermerris was responsible for the identification, characterization, and distribution of maize mutants with altered near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectrotypes. A set of 39 such mutants have been identified among the UniformMu population .
Dr. Vermerris is an expert on the brown midrib mutants of maize and sorghum, a group of cell wall mutants characterized by the brown vascular tissue in the leaves and stems. These mutants have been or are in the process of being chemically characterized. In addition, the impacts of these mutations on plant growth and development production are under investigation. Molecular cloning of several Brown midrib genes is in progress as part of the DOE-funded project ‘Genetic Dissection of brown midrib Sweet Sorghum, a Dual-Source Feedstock for Ethanol Production’. The brown midrib mutants are also of interest for improving the efficiency of ethanol production from stover. Based on data generated with brown midrib mutants, new inbred lines with high yields of fermentable sugars are being developed by Dr. Vermerris and his collaborators.
Dr. Vermerris is Co-PI on the USDA-DOE-funded project ‘Genetic Engineering of Sugarcane for Increased Fermentable Sugar Yield from Hemicellulosic Biomass’, aimed at using transgenic strategies to improve sugarcane as a bioenergy crop.
Dr. Vermerris also participates in the DOE-funded project ‘Genome-Enabled Discovery of Carbon Sequestration Genes in Poplar’ aimed at elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying carbon allocation.
Dr. Vermerris is a member of the University of Florida Genetics Institute and the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program. He has an adjunct appointment in the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering at Purdue University. He is the co-author of the textbook ‘Phenolic Compound Biochemistry’, editor of the book ‘Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops’, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the new journal BioEnergy Research
.Contact Information
Main Office
237 Cancer and Genetics Research Complex
Mailing Address
1376 Mowry Rd
Post Office Box 103610
Gainesville, Florida 32610-3610
Telephone
352-273-8162
FAX
352-273-8160
