ERIC M. ENGSTROM
Biology Department
The College of William and Mary
Integrated Science Center
Williamsburg, VA 23187
(757) 221-1994
121 Smokehouse Lane
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 565-3436
e-mail: emengs@wm.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Stanford University, June 2002.
Dissertation: Investigating the mechanism and function of ethylene and Nod factor-induced calcium
spiking in the Rhizobium/Medicago symbiosis.
Advisor: Dr. Sharon R. Long.
B.A., Biology, Reed College, May 1993.
Thesis: Genetics con fusion; mapping the FIDDLEHEAD gene of Arabidopsis.
Advisor: Dr. Susan J. Lolle.
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
Assistant Professor, The College of William and Mary, 8/05-present.
Analysis of the genetic regulation of organ indeterminacy, and the evolution of ethylene signaling.
Postdoctoral Research, University of California, Davis, 7/02 – 7/05.
Analysis of the role of FACKEL in post-embryonic plant development and the establishment and
maintenance of adaxial-abaxial polarity in lateral organs of Arabidopsis thaliana. Analysis of the
function of Arabidopsis orthologs of the Petunia HAIRY MERISTEM gene.
Dr. John L. Bowman
Doctoral Research, Stanford University, 7/94 - 6/02.
Carried out projects to study Nod factor signal transduction utilizing Medicago truncatula and
Sinorhizobium meliloti as model plant and bacterial systems respectively. Employed microinjection of
fluorescent indicators to study cellular calcium dynamics, molecular biology, and isolation and analysis
of Medicago mutants defective in nodulation.
Dr. Sharon R. Long.
Research Assistant, Reed College, 5/93-10/93.
Mapping of the FIDDLEHEAD gene of Arabidopsis. Characterization of the fiddlehead phenotype with
respect to cell wall porosity.
Dr. Susan J. Lolle.
COURSES TAUGHT (The College of William and Mary)
Research in Biology, Mentoring and instruction in laboratory research methods and experimental design.
Graduate Research, Mentoring and instruction in biological research of Master’s students.
Topics in Biology: Fungi, Upper-division seminar course emphasizing interpretation of the primary
literature and focusing on recent developments in mycology.
ERIC M. ENGSTROM
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COURSES TAUGHT (The College of William and Mary, continued)
Topics in Biology: Plant Evolution, Upper-division seminar course emphasizing interpretation of the
primary literature and focusing on recent developments in understanding land plant evolution.
Plant Development and Physiology, Upper-division lecture and laboratory course focusing on our current
understanding of selected topics in plant development and plant physiology.
Integrative Biology II: Plants, Introductory course providing a broad overview of the biology of
photosynthetic organisms with emphasis on terrestrial plants
Plants, People and Agriculture, Introductory course for non-biology majors providing a broad overview of
the nature of human-plant and human-animal interactions that comprise agriculture.
Writing in Biological Sciences, A major writing assignment in research paper or grant proposal format.
Seminar Topics in Environmental Science and Policy, Key environmental topics are addressed by
recognized experts. Students meet in small groups to discuss lectures and readings.
PUBLICATIONS
Engstrom E.M. (2011) Diversification of GRAS genes preceded the diversification of vascular plants.
Plant Signaling and Behavior. Manuscript in press.
Banks J. A., Nishiyama T., Hasebe M, Bowman J.L., Gribskov M., dePamphilis C., Albert V.A., Aono
N., Aoyama T., Ambrose B.A., Ashton V.A., Axtell M.J., Barker E., Barker M.S., Bennetzen J.L.,
Bonawitz N.D., Chapple C., Cheng C., Correa L.G.G., Dacre M., DeBarry J., Dreyer I., Elias M.,
Engstrom E.M. and others. (2011) The compact Selaginella genome identifies changes in gene content
associated with the evolution of vascular plants. Science. Manuscript in press.
Engstrom E.M., Andersen, C., Benfey P.N., Gumulak-Smith J., Hu J., Orlova E., Sozzani R., Bowman,
J.L. (2011) Arabidopsis orthologs of the Petunia HAIRY MERISTEM gene are required
for maintenance of shoot and root indeterminacy. Plant Physiology 155: 735-750.
DeLong, R. K., Akhtar, U., Sallee, M., Parker, B., Barber, S., Zhang J., Craig, M., Garrad, R., Hickey,
A.J., and Engstrom, E. (2009) Characterization and performance of nucleic acid nanoparticles
combined with protamine and gold. Biomaterials 30, 6451-6459.
Penmetsa, R,V., Uribe, P., Anderson, J., Lichtenzveig, J., Gish, J-C, Nam, Y.W., Engstrom, E., Xu, G.,
Siskel, G., Pereira, M., Baek, J.M., Lopez-Meyer, M., Long, S.R., Harrison, M.J., Singh, K.B., Kiss,
G.B., and Cook, D.R. (2008) The Medicago truncatula ortholog of Arabidopsis EIN2, sickle, is a
negative regulator of symbiotic and pathogenic microbial associations. The Plant Journal 55, 580-595.
Engstrom, E. M., Izhaki, A. and Bowman, J.L. (2004) Promoter bashing, microRNAs, and Knox genes.
New insights, regulators, and targets-of-regulation in the establishment of lateral organ polarity in
Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 135, 685-694.
Engstrom, E. M., Ehrhardt, D. W., Mitra, R. M. and Long, S.R. (2002) Pharmacological analysis of
Nod factor-induced calcium spiking in Medicago truncatula. Evidence for the requirement of type IIA
calcium pumps and phosphoinositide signaling. Plant Physiology 128, 1390-1401. (Feature article “On
the Inside”: Pharmacology of Calcium Spiking Induced by Nod Factors. Plant Physiology 128, 1163.)
ERIC M. ENGSTROM
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PUBLICATIONS (continued)
Oldroyd, G.E.D., Engstrom, E.M. and Long, S. R. (2001) Ethylene inhibits the Nod factor signal
transduction pathway of Medicago truncatula. Plant Cell 13, 1835-1849.
Lolle, S.J., Berlyn, G.P., Engstrom, E.M., Krolikowski, K.A., Reiter, W-D. and Pruitt, R. E. (1997)
Developmental regulation of cell interactions in the Arabidopsis fiddlehead-1 mutant: a role for the
epidermal cell wall and cuticle. Developmental Biology 189, 311-321.
RESEARCH GRANTS
Jeffress Foundation Research Grant. “Comparative Genomics Investigation of Ethylene Biosynthesis in
Basal Plant Lineages: Groundwork for Forward Genetic Analysis of Ethylene Signaling in
Selaginellaceae.” Funded $30,000. 1/09-present.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education and Research Program
Faculty-Student Exchange Program Summer Research Grant. “Barrier-free transformation of
Arabidopsis and Selaginella by nanoparticles.” Funded $16, 200. 6/07-8/07.
The College of William and Mary Summer Research Grant, Funded $5,000. 6/06-8/06.
USDA, CREES, NRI Competitive Grants, AREA Award. “The role of FACKEL-derived sterols and
microRNAs in the regulation of PHABULOSA and the establishment of lateral organ polarity.” Funded
$90,000. 7/03-7/05
TEACHING GRANTS
QEP/Mellon Foundation Course Development Award, Funded $4,700. 11/07.
LI-COR Environmental Education Fund Program Award. Funded $25,000. 1/07.
ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTATIONS
Arresting Shoots and Disorganized Roots: Deciphering the Role of GRAS Proteins in Regulating
Meristem Structure and Function. Virginia State University, April 2010.
Arabidopsis Orthologs of the Petunia HAM mutant regulate meristem indeterminacy, organ generation
and growth in both the shoot and the root. American Society of Plant Biologists and Phycological
Society of America Joint Annual Meeting, July 2009.
Ethylene production in plants: Is the ACC oxidase enzyme at work in Selaginella moellendorffii.
American Society of Plant Biologists and Phycological Society of America Joint Annual Meeting, July
2009. Poster presentation.
Investigating the role of non-brassinosteroid sterols in plant morphogenesis. Botany and Plant Biology
2007 Joint Congress, July 2007. Seminar presentation.
Sterols, HAM Genes and microRNAs: Elucidating Novel Intercellular Signaling Pathways in Plant
Development. The College of William and Mary, Biology Department. March 2005. Seminar
presentation.
Analysis of the role of FACKEL, a C-14 sterol reductase essential for normal embryogenesis, in postembryonic development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Genetics 2003. Poster presentation.
ERIC M. ENGSTROM
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ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTATIONS (continued)
Investigating the mechanism and function of calcium spiking in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis.
Carnegie Institute of Washington, Department of Plant Biology. October, 2001. Seminar presentation.
Investigating the mechanism and function of calcium spiking in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis.
Gordon Research Conference, Plant Molecular Biology. 2000. Poster presentation.
Analysis of inhibitors of Nod factor-induced calcium spiking in Medicago truncatula root hairs.
American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. 1998. Poster presentation.
HONORS
Stanford University Department of Biological Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award, 1995
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, 1995
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, 1994
Commended for Excellence in Scholarship, Reed College, 1992-1993
Howard Hughes Medical Foundation Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 1992-1993
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Member of the Committee on Sustainability Food Services Working Group, September 2009-present.
Institutional Biosafety Committee of The College of William and Mary, July 2007-present.
Member of the Curriculum Committee, Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, 2006present.
Member of the Greenhouse Committee, Biology Department, The Çollege of William and Mary, 2005present.
Landscape, Energy and the Environment Committee of The College of William and Mary, July 2007January 2009.
Co-chair of the Seminar Committee, Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, 20062008.
Member of the Graduate Affairs Committee, Biology Department, The College of William and Mary,
2005-2006.
Reviewer for Biological Science, 4th edition. Scott Freeman. Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
Reviewer for USDA NRI Competitive Grants Program, 2002, 2006.
Reviewer for NSF Competitive Grants Program, 2006, 2008, 2009.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Association for the Advancement of Science.
American Society of Plant Biologists.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Ashley DeCarme 2008-2010. Master’s degree in 2010.
UNDERGRADUATE HONORS THESES
Christopher Givens, 2010.
ERIC M. ENGSTROM
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REFERENCES
Lizabeth Allison
Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187
pdheid@wm.edu
757-221-2232
Paul Heideman
Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187
pdheid@wm.edu
757-221-2239
John L. Bowman, Ph.D.
jlbowman@ucdavis.edu
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
61 (3) 9902-0242
Martha Case, Ph.D.
Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187
macase@wm.edu
757-221-2223