Jeff Gustin
Curator
Email: jlgustin@illinois.edu
Background
- Curator, Maize Genetics Cooperation • Stock Center 2020-Current
- Postdoc and Research Faculty, University of Florida 2008-2020
- Ph.D. Purdue University 2008
- BA Pennsylvania State University, Erie (The Behrend College) 2001
About
As Curator of the Maize Genetics Cooperation • Stock Center, my role is to collect novel genetic stocks for inclusion into the Center's collection and to propagate the large and diverse collection for maintenance and distribution to Maize Genetics community. The vast array of genetic stocks is the living inheritance from generations of maize geneticists and I'm honored to be entrusted with their care.
My background and interests loosely align around investigation of the genetic mechanisms that govern maize kernel development and biochemical composition. I am also interested in developing tools for efficient capture of kernel phenotypes. Imaging tools such as cameras, flat-bed scanners and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are excellent ways to capture external and internal kernel traits in a rapid and non-destructive manner. I am working to incorporate additional imaging platforms into the Center's operations to enrich stock information beyond textual descriptions. The images are viewable on the stock pages at MaizeGDB.
I have also put increased ephasis on charactorizing the roughly 3000 phenotype-only mutants that are in the Stock Center collection. These mutants were identified from grant-funded mutagenesis projects as well as other sources including maize farmers, breeders, curators, and researchers, and can be identified with an astrisk in the descriptive name (i.e. 5505T d*-ts1). These mutants have no other associated information beyond a visual description, which limits their interest and use. I have developed an inexpensive BSASeq pipeline to add genetic positional information to the stocks, have collected stage appropriate images, and have conducted allele tests with reference alleles where feasible. This information is being added to their stock page at MaizeGDB.
Feel free to contact me with your stock requests or questions. Please also consider contributing your genetic stocks to the collection for study by future generations of maize geneticists.
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5913-0200
Further information and publications can be found here..