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Boyce Thompson Institute
@btiscience.bsky.social
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Discovery inspired by plants. Click the link to explore more about BTI and for our “House Rules” for Social Media Comments. linktr.ee/BTIScience
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btiscience.bsky.social
BTI's NSF REU Program is training the next generation of plant scientists. Check out this video the researchers made to show what it’s all about! Applications for 2026 are open: reu.btiscience.org

Thanks to @ScienceIRL for the awesome video! www.instagram.com/science_irl/
November 10, 2025 at 7:06 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
BTI alumni take top honors at FuzeHub’s 2025 Commercialization Competition! Congratulations to Alexa Schmitz (founder of REEgen) and Murli Manohar (founder of CryoBio) for winning 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 at the FuzeHub pitch competition last week.
Two people smile and pose on stage at an event, holding a glass award that reads “Winner.” They both wear conference badges, and the background features a blue geometric design and a table draped with a banner that includes the New York State logo and the phrase “State of Opportunity.
November 6, 2025 at 3:22 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
👻 With Halloween just around the corner, we asked some members of our BTI community what would really scare them in a haunted house 🎃😱
October 30, 2025 at 2:35 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
No drama when the day features a llama. And it's not so 'ruff' when you get to enjoy some doggy fluff. Thanks Cornell Companions for stopping by!
Close up on a golden retriever being petted. A group of people gathers indoors to pet a dark-colored llama wearing a purple halter. The scene includes several smiling participants, one of whom is holding the llama’s lead. Portrait paintings hang on the wall behind them. A person sits on a step indoors, smiling warmly at a golden retriever therapy dog. The dog looks up at her happily while being petted. People are standing nearby, and plants can be seen in the background. Several people stand in a hallway petting a black llama wearing a halter and a vest labeled “LLAMA.” The group is smiling and engaged, surrounded by plants and framed portraits on the walls.
October 29, 2025 at 9:50 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Yesterday BTI hosted our Fall Community Lunch, a perfect break to connect, chat, and get festive! 🍂 From pumpkin decorating to tasty fall treats, it was all about good food and great company. Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun!
A wide view of a room with multiple tables where people are gathered for a pumpkin decorating activity. Pumpkins and craft materials are visible on the tables. A group of people seated at a long table working on pumpkin painting and decorating. The table is covered with small paint pots, brushes, stickers, and colorful craft supplies. A yellow pumpkin with a tree design is in the foreground. A close-up of a table where participants are decorating pumpkins. A pumpkin with a painted face is in the foreground, surrounded by craft supplies and a large water bottle. A row of decorated pumpkins displayed on a white folding table. Each pumpkin has unique designs, including faces, patterns, and Halloween-themed artwork. Two ghost figurines are placed among the pumpkins.
October 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
PlantGene's CRISPR Help Session Part II is an interactive Q&A event. The audience will have an opportunity to ask specific questions to expert speakers Chung-Jui Tsai and Joshua Clem about analysis of edited lines. Register here: cornell.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#Biotechnology #CRISPR
Promotional graphic for a CRISPR webinar titled “CRISPR Help Session Part II: Analysis of Edited Lines.” The event is on November 18 at 11:00 AM ET. Speakers are CJ Tsai from the University of Georgia and Josh Clem from the University of Maryland. The text notes it will be an interactive Q&A where attendees can ask experts questions. Zoom logo is shown at the bottom left. The background is dark with a blue and black particle pattern.
October 24, 2025 at 1:05 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
BTI is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor in plant science or related fields. Join a collaborative research community advancing discoveries to improve agriculture, the environment, and human health.

Learn more & apply btiscience.org/get-involved/careers

Please share with your networks!
Text says Assistant Professor in the top left corner. This is over a picture of the BTI greenhouse. A hand holds a sign on the bottom that says We're Hiring
October 23, 2025 at 6:38 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Shape the future of #PlantScience! BTI, affiliated with Cornell, seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor to drive discovery in plant biology. Review of applications begins November. Apply: recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/J...
Hiring announcement graphic for an Assistant Professor position at the Boyce Thompson Institute. The image shows a greenhouse and brick building under a blue sky, with text reading ‘Assistant Professor’ at the top and a hand holding a sign that says ‘We’re Hiring’ in the foreground. The BTI logo is visible in the corner.
October 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Now accepting applications for the Jane Silverthorne Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at BTI! 🌿 Supporting bold scientists tackling plant science frontiers with cross-disciplinary approaches. Full funding for high-risk, high-reward research. Apply by Jan 15, 2026! 🧬 spf.btiscience.org
Promotional graphic for the Jane Silverthorne Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Text reads: 'Jane Silverthorne Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Supporting early-career scientists with high-risk, high-reward research projects that bridge fundamental science with real-world solutions. BTI – Powered by the Jane Silverthorne Innovation Fund. Now Accepting Applications.' On the right side, there is a circular photo of a woman with long blonde hair and glasses, wearing a black top. The design includes green and white waves with a leaf and circuit logo.
October 1, 2025 at 1:33 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
BTI’s Post Graduate Society (PGS) recently held their annual symposium, a full day celebrating science with poster sessions, talks, and great opportunities to connect.
September 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
A reminder and new link! Join AGROSAVIA & BTI for a workshop on how pangenomes are transforming genomics, breeding & agriculture!

Oct 1, 2025 | 9–4 US / 8–3 COL
For students, postdocs & researchers in #PlantScience.

Register: www.agrosavia.co/eventos/ft_1...
Flyer for the Virtual Pangenome Workshop, scheduled for October 1, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. US Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Colombia time). The flyer features a DNA double helix filled with images of colorful tomatoes and peppers. Logos of BTI and AGROSAVIA appear at the bottom. This version is simpler, without speaker details or workshop description text. Flyer for the Virtual Pangenome Workshop, scheduled for October 1, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. US Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Colombia time). The flyer features a DNA double helix filled with images of various colorful tomatoes and peppers. Text explains the workshop aims to introduce the transition from individual genomes to pangenomes, highlighting advantages and applications in agriculture through case studies of key crops. Speakers include Silvia Restrepo (BTI), Fei Zhangjun (BTI), Lukas Mueller (BTI), James Giovannoni (USDA), Joyce Van Eck (BTI), Luz Stella Barrero (AGROSAVIA), Valeria Velasquez (AGROSAVIA), and Paola Zuluaga (AGROSAVIA). Logos of BTI and AGROSAVIA appear at the bottom.
September 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Join AGROSAVIA & BTI for a workshop on how pangenomes are transforming genomics, breeding & agriculture!
Oct 1, 2025 | 9–4 US / 8–3 COL
For students, postdocs & researchers in #PlantScience.

Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/4e70c4...
A promotional poster for the "Virtual Pangenome Workshop" held on October 1, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (US ET) and 8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Colombia time). The poster features a DNA double helix structure filled with various colorful tomatoes. The workshop aims to introduce the transition from individual genomes to pangenomes, focusing on applications in agriculture and breeding. Speakers include members from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), USDA, and AGROSAVIA. Logos of BTI and AGROSAVIA are displayed at the bottom. A simplified promotional image for the "Virtual Pangenome Workshop" on October 1, 2025, with the same times as the first image. It features a DNA helix filled with various colorful tomatoes. The image includes logos for BTI and AGROSAVIA at the bottom but does not include additional text about the agenda or speakers.
September 24, 2025 at 1:33 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Sarah Siegle spent her summer in BTI’s REU program exploring how lignin in corn affects nitrification and how genomic models can predict lignin content. Along the way, she gained five key insights and reflects on her time at BTI as a season of growth and inspiration.
btiscience.org/explore-bti/...
A graphic featuring a large green quotation mark and a text box with the quote: “Overall, this summer was a dream experience for me as an aspiring scientific researcher.” At the bottom left is a circular photo of Sarah Siegle, smiling with long red hair and wearing a green button-down shirt. Her name “Sarah Siegle” appears in bold green text to the right of her photo. The background shows a faint image of a laboratory setting with scientific equipment.
September 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Join AGROSAVIA & BTI for a workshop on how pangenomes are transforming genomics, breeding & agriculture!
Oct 1, 2025 | 9–4 US / 8–3 COL
For students, postdocs & researchers in #PlantScience.
Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/4e70c4...
Promotional graphic for the Virtual Pangenome Workshop. At the top is a DNA double helix forming a circular frame filled with different varieties of tomatoes in various shapes and colors. On the right, large white text reads: “Virtual Pangenome Workshop.” Below, event details are listed: “October 1, 2025. 9:30 am – 4 pm (US ET). 8:00 am – 3 pm (Colombia time).” At the bottom are two logos: Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) on the left and AGROSAVIA on the right.
September 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
The 2025 BTI PGS Symposium is happening Sept. 23. Open to all members of the BTI + Cornell community. Register by Sept. 9 to attend or present! A day of research, connections, and great food awaits. Register here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Poster for the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) PGS Symposium, scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the Robert Purcell Community Center. The poster features colorful science-themed illustrations including DNA strands, bacteria, a microscope, a mushroom, light bulbs, test tubes, and an atom model. A QR code for registration is centered on the poster. Text at the bottom notes: "Breakfast and lunch (unlimited food Toni Morrison dining hall!) provided."
September 5, 2025 at 2:09 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Your feed is probably full of #BackToSchool posts with kids sharing their dreams and goals for the future. We thought it would be fun to check in with our plants too! Just like those heading back to school, our plants also are hard at work chasing big goals.
Soybean (Williams 82) Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a photo of fuzzy soybean pods on the plant. The sign reads: “My name: Soybean (Williams 82). My lab: Center for Plant Biotechnology Research. I want to: Help researchers understand the genetic blueprint of soybean and discover ways to develop soybeans with traits that can better serve agriculture.” Tomato (Translational Lab) Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a photo of healthy and blossom-end-rot-affected tomatoes. The sign reads: “My name: Tomato. My lab: Translational Lab. I want to: Unlock strategies that eliminate blossom-end-rot and drive yield improvements.” Coffee Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a coffee plant with clusters of ripening and shriveled coffee berries. The sign reads: “My name: Coffee. My lab: Giovannoni Lab. I want to: Learn about how my berries mature and ripen and how that process compares to my not so close but not so distant relative, tomato.” Tomato (Giovannoni Lab) Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a tomato plant with ripe red fruit on the vine. The sign reads: “My name: Tomato. My lab: Giovannoni Lab. I want to: Learn about my genetic make up and how my wild relatives might contribute to my progeny being more productive, nutritious, flavorful and resistant to stress.”
September 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Your feed is probably full of #BackToSchool posts with kids sharing their dreams and goals for the future. We thought it would be fun to check in with our plants too! Just like those heading back to school, our plants also are hard at work chasing big goals.
Solanum cornelio­mulleri Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a photo of fuzzy green tomatoes on the vine. The sign reads: “My name: Solanum cornelio­mulleri. My lab: Julkowska and Restrepo Labs. I want to: Teach valuable lessons from my skills of surviving drought and pathogen attacks.” Groundcherry Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a photo of a green groundcherry fruit encased in its papery husk. The sign reads: “My name: Groundcherry. My lab: Van Eck Lab. I want to: Stop dropping my fruit to the ground.” Cotton Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to a close-up of a large cotton plant leaf. The sign reads: “My name: Cotton. My lab: Nelson Lab. I want to: Make the fabric of your lives, but with less water!” orn (Maize) Alt text: Chalkboard-style sign next to an ear of corn with multicolored kernels on the stalk. The sign reads: “My name: Corn (Maize). My lab: Stern Lab. I want to: Grow better in the cold, with help from miscanthus, a grass that thrives in chilly weather, to guide me toward chilling-tolerant photosynthesis.”
September 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Our summer researchers brought plant science to 90 campers at the YMCA of Ithaca & Tompkins County! Younger kids explored nature with bingo and leaf-press art, while older campers learned to ID trees and made UV leaf prints. A day full of discovery, creativity, and the wonder of plants!
August 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Check out this awesome video recap of the Summer Research Experience program created by REU student Camila Hoyos Ayala! Are you an alum of our summer research program? If so, what is one of your favorite memories?

Video by Camila Hoyos Ayala.
August 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Our summer undergrads joined OCM BOCES’ CHIPS Camp at TC3, sparking 7th-graders’ excitement with strawberry DNA extractions and a plant-insect game (fun fact: crickets hear with their legs!). Thanks to OCM BOCES + TC3 for hosting an inspiring camp.
August 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Congrats to Drs. David Artis & Chun-Jun Guo (@weillcornell.bsky.social) and Frank Schroeder (BTI) on the 2025 Biocodex International Microbiota Grant! Their work will advance research on how microbes shape health & disease. medicine.weill.cornell.edu/news/new-gra...

#GutMicrobiome
Microscopic image of intestinal tissue in teal with yellow and magenta highlights, representing microbiota. White text at the top reads: ‘New Grant May Accelerate Research into Microbiota and Human Health
August 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Upcoming Event: #CRISPR Help Session!

Join an interactive Q&A with experts on gRNA design, vector cloning, and plant transformation. Move between breakout rooms, ask your questions, and get direct answers.

Register: lnkd.in/e3uquHAi
Promotional graphic for a “CRISPR Help Session” webinar on September 18 at 2:00 PM ET. The event is described as an interactive Q&A where attendees can ask experts questions. Topics include gRNA design, vector construction, and plant transformation. The image features headshots of speakers: Colby Starker (University of Minnesota), Erik Myers (University of Minnesota), and Josh Clem (University of Maryland), along with the PlantGENE Steering Committee logo. The background has a blue and black abstract pattern, and a Zoom logo appears at the bottom left.
August 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Join us today for the George and Helen Kohut Symposium, in-person or on Zoom, starting at 9:30! This annual event celebrates the innovation, curiosity, and achievements of our summer researchers!

btiscience.org/event/2025-g...

#PlantScience
A digital flyer for the George and Helen Kohut Student Symposium hosted by the Boyce Thompson Institute. The event is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th, from 9:30 to 4:00. The schedule includes: 9:00 AM: Welcome Breakfast in BTI’s Lobby and main entrance 9:30 AM: Welcome in BTI’s Auditorium 9:50 AM: Student Presentations in BTI’s Auditorium by Hazel Frans, Nicholas Pratt, Devin Atalay, and Zainab Syed 11:00 AM: Lunch outside the main entrance of BTI, front lawn, and Room 215 11:30 AM: Student Presentations – Poster Session 1 in BTI’s Lobby, Atrium, and Second Floor Design elements include green accents and a faint plant-like background pattern. Continuation of the symposium schedule with a green "THANK YOU" box expressing appreciation for the support of labs, faculty PIs, mentors, and the Cornell and BTI community. Afternoon events include: 1:00 PM: Student Presentations – Poster Session 2 in BTI’s Lobby, Atrium, and Second Floor 2:30 PM: Student Presentations in BTI’s Auditorium by Loghan Holland, Oscar De La Torre, and Abby Stathis 4:00 PM: Cake! Outside BTI’s main entrance, front lawn, and Room 215 The bottom of the flyer features logos for CROPPS, USDA, Cornell University, and NSF, with a note about NSF and USDA funding.
August 7, 2025 at 1:18 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
Posters are going up… that can only mean one thing: the George and Helen Kohut Symposium is TOMORROW at 9:30 AM! Join us in-person or on Zoom to celebrate student research & achievement!

Info & schedule: btiscience.org/event/2025-g...
August 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
btiscience.bsky.social
In the dog days of summer, we took a "paws" to relax with some sweet treats and even sweeter pups! Thanks to the tail-waggingly wonderful dogs from Cornell Companions for visiting!
August 5, 2025 at 5:52 PM