Burcu Alptekin

Burcu Alptekin
Environmental and Plant Biology
alptekin@ohio.edu
LinkedIn

Education

Ph.D. in Plant Genetics, Montana State University, Bozeman/USA; 2020

B. S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University/Turkey; 2014

Research

Research Areas: Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Genetics, Plant Physiology,

From a biological perspective, success is the ability to adapt and survive. Being sessile, plants cannot escape the challenging conditions the environment imposes; therefore, their survival depends entirely on their ability to perceive stress and mount effective responses. Our lab investigates how plants respond and adapt to different abiotic stresses. We study plant stress biology across two frontiers:

  1. Earth-based stresses, such as drought and nutrient limitation.
  2. Space-related stresses, including altered gravity and space radiation that plants would encounter on the Moon, Mars, or in orbit.

Using multi-omics, molecular genetics, and synthetic biology, we identify and engineer the molecular and cellular mechanisms that enable plants to survive stressful environments. We ask questions such as:

  • How do plants sense drought, and what genes and regulatory networks drive their response and adaptation?
  • How do microbial partners contribute to plant stress resilience?
  • How does the space environment reshape plant growth, gene expression, and physiology?
  • What unique mechanisms allow plants to handle combinations of stresses; conditions that often occur in nature and in space?

Our research spans model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon, as well as crops including wheat and barley. Ultimately, our mission is to engineer plants that can withstand the environmental extremes of our changing planet and to develop the biological foundations for growing plants in future space habitats.

Courses

PBIO 1150: Plant Structure and Development (Spring 2027)

Selected Publications

Burcu Alptekin`s Google Scholar

Alptekin B.*, Hirsch, H.*, Kleven, B. et al. (2025). From Glomalin to Glomalose: Unraveling the Molecular Identity of the MAb32B11 Antigen. New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.70253

Alptekin B., Erfatpour, M., Mangel, D. et al. (2022). Selection of favorable alleles of genes controlling flowering and senescence improves malt barley quality. Molecular Breeding, DOI:10.1007/s11032-022-01331-7.

Alptekin B*., Irving, B. T.*, Kleven, B., Ane, JM. (2021). A critical review of 25 years of glomalin research: a better mechanical understanding and robust quantification techniques are required. New Phytologist, DOI: doi.org/10.1111/nph.17713. , (*co-first authored)

Alptekin B., Mangel, D., Pauli, D., et al. (2020). Combined effects of a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein and a NAC transcription factor extend grain fill duration and improve malt barley agronomic performance. Theoretical Applied Genetics, DOI:10.1007/s00122-020-03701-1.