Thomas Rost Receives Botanical Society of America MERIT AWARD
Professor Emeritus Thomas Rost
Article by the Botanical Society of America
Dr. Thomas L. Rost, professor emeritus of plant biology at the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences, is one of the world's foremost researchers on root development. His research record spans four decades and includes more than 140 published papers in highly regarded journals, with 82 on root structure and development, plus 10 co-authored and co-edited books. These studies have laid down the foundations for understanding of root apical growth, especially involving cell cycle control and meristem function, lateral root production, root differentiation, epidermis and rootcap development, and root meristem structure in an evolutionary context.
Tom's papers have corrected the misconceptions about Arabidopsis that have dominated the previous 15 years of research on that model plant for developmental and molecular studies. He has led his students and post-doctoral researchers to a modern and accurate understanding of the development of this model root system. Specifically, he and his colleagues have shown that the architecture of the root apical meristem changes as the meristem ages. Also of particular importance, he has shown that the pattern of root apical meristem ontogeny is associated with periclinal divisions and gives rise to a three-dimensional arrangement of periclinal derivatives arranged in a helix.
Further, Tom has gone beyond Arabidopsis to put it in the context of root organization in angiosperms, especially dicotyledons, as a whole. Tom's research on root apical meristems of a broad range of species (Azolla, pea, maize, cotton) have provided an important framework for understanding the streamlined structure of Arabidopsis roots. He has enabled his group to make unique contributions to understanding the structure and development of this genetic model organism.
Tom Rost has done more than any other current structural botanist to bring the plant root to our attention as a dynamic developmental entity. However, his research has not been limited to roots. He has authored or co-authored impressive articles regarding seed structure and histochemistry, plant morphogenesis, and agriculture, and especially the recent studies on Pierce's disease in grapevine. Further, Tom's contributions to botanical education via his teaching/mentoring and his writings have been quite well known and recognized.
With great pleasure, the Botanical Society of America is proud to recognize Dr. Thomas L. Rost with this highest award.