San Diego State University welcomed back Dr. Ruth Epstein, MARC and CSU-LSAMP alumna, as part of the Seminar Series in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Dr. Epstein, now a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley, returned to share her cutting-edge research on plant evolutionary genomics and crop improvement.
Her seminar, titled “Evolutionary genomics and adaptation trends across 739 pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) accessions,” highlighted the largest genomic and phenotypic survey of pennycress conducted to date. Pennycress, an emerging oilseed crop with potential for biofuel and sustainable aviation fuel production, represents a key species for climate-resilient agriculture.
During her talk, Dr. Epstein discussed her analysis of 739 pennycress accessions collected across four continents. Using whole-genome sequencing and multi-season field phenotyping, her team identified the genetic architecture underlying agronomically important traits and climate resilience. She presented evidence of multiple independent migration events to North America, patterns of genetic admixture, and genomic regions linked to key adaptive traits.
Dr. Epstein also highlighted the identification of Arabidopsis-like flowering-time gene homologs, the agronomic benefits of winter-type pennycress, and a genomic region containing mTERF genes associated with green canopy coverage, a trait critical for biomass retention and yield stability. These findings offer a genomic roadmap to accelerate pennycress domestication and support its role in sustainable fuel systems.
Her visit reflected the impact of undergraduate research training programs like MARC and CSU-LSAMP in shaping scientific careers and underscored the success of SDSU alumni contributing to innovative, climate-focused research at global research institutions.
