| Field of Study: | Plant Molecular Physiology |
| Title: | Professor |
| Degrees: | Ph.D., University of Göttingen, Germany |
| Homepage: | Homepage/Lab Web Site Link |
| Google Scholar: |  Google Scholar |
| Office: | 401B Abelson Hall |
| Email: | tegeder@wsu.edu |
| Phone: | 509-335-7545 |
| Fax: | 509-335-3184 |
| Mailing Address: | School of Biological Sciences Washington State University PO Box 644236 Pullman,WA 99164-4236 |
Professor Tegeder’s research deals with the molecular identification and functional characterization of membrane transport processes controlling the partitioning of nitrogen and carbon photoassimilates (e.g. amino acids, ureides and sucrose) in plants. A major focus is to understand the mechanisms regulating organic nitrogen transfer from the location of production in roots or leaves to developing sink organs including seeds. The discovery of essential transporters provides tools important for biotechnological applications in plants. The ultimate goal is to develop strategies aimed at improving nutrient use efficiency, productivity and nutritional quality of important crop plants. Major breakthroughs on transporter functions have been achieved by using transporter repression or overexpression approaches in the model system Arabidopsis and in legumes (i.e. pea and soybean), and complex molecular, genetic, biochemical, physiological, and cell-biological analyses.
Research areas include:
• Nitrogen acquisition and utilization
• Mechanisms of photoassimilate partitioning
• Plant membrane transport proteins
• Amino acid, ureide and sucrose transporter function
• Role of transporters in root, tuber and seed development
• Source-sink interaction and regulation of metabolite transport in the phloem
• Plant-bacteria symbiosis and fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in legumes
• Nitrogen transport across subcellular membranes
• Relationship between nitrogen and carbon metabolism
• Importance of nitrogen partitioning under environmental stress conditions
• Plant nutrient use efficiency, biomass production, and nutritional quality