Prabal Das

My research centers on unraveling the genetic and molecular mechanisms of leaf epidermal cell shape plasticity in Arabidopsis thaliana under varying temperature conditions. The morphology of epidermal pavement cells is important for withstanding the cell’s internal turgor pressure and forces due to the growth of inner leaf cells.

The goal of my project is to dissect the genetic architecture and molecular mechanisms underlying how leaf cell shapes respond and adapt to temperature fluctuations. By integrating natural variation, advanced imaging techniques, molecular perturbations, and quantitative analysis, I aim to:

• Map genetic pathways and reaction norms connecting microtubule dynamics, cell shape, and cell packing.
• Characterize how temperature-driven morphological changes in epidermal cells relate to broader thermomorphogenic responses.
• Identify the molecular mechanisms contributing to cell shape plasticity across different Arabidopsis accessions.

Preliminary findings reveal evident natural variation in phenotypic plasticity of cell shape traits across Arabidopsis ecotypes exposed to different temperatures. My project aims to pinpoint the genetic and cellular mechanisms driving these diverse responses.