The evolution of land plants fundamentally changed the earth’s atmosphere and paved the way for terrestrial life as we know it. Despite a pivotal role in both initiating and sustaining animal life, plants received relatively scant attention from biologists for decades. Why? What, if anything, changed? I will discuss my own research trajectory from human genetics to plant developmental genetics, and provide insight into the way in which the research field has changed over the last 35 years. What have we learnt about plant biology, what is left to learn, and what challenges lie ahead?
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