Prof. Blake Meyers
Dr. Blake Meyers serves as the Director of the UC Davis Genome Center and holds the titles of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, and Novozymes Chair of Genomics. Before joining UC Davis, he was a faculty member at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the University of Missouri – Columbia, and the University of Delaware. He is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society of Plant Biologists. Since 2008, he has been an editor of The Plant Cell, serving as Editor-in-Chief between 2020 and 2024.
- Please tell us about yourself and your research/institution.
I am Blake Meyers, a plant biologist specializing in small RNAs and their roles in gene regulation, particularly in reproductive development and anther development. My research focuses on small RNA biology, recently including the biogenesis and functions of phased, secondary siRNAs (phasiRNAs). I am at the University of California, Davis, where I am the Director of the Genome Center, a multidisciplinary institute of 18 faculty members that share a common interest in genomic technologies and the application of these methods to diverse biological questions, including biomedicine, microbiology, bioinformatics, and plants. I am a faculty member in the Department of Plant Sciences. In my group, I have a talented team of researchers who are working to explore the molecular mechanisms, evolution, and diversity of plant RNAs, particularly small RNAs — and to identify applications of these discoveries to real world problems in crop plants.
- What motivated you to get into plant science?
My interest in plant science started through a love of plants, but grew further out of a fascination for genetics and molecular biology. I was especially drawn to the complexity and elegance of plant regulatory networks and the ways these are encoded in the genome. Plants offer unique insights into gene silencing, epigenetics, and small RNA biology — areas that remain at the forefront of my research today. The potential for discovery in plant science is immense, and its impact from agriculture to biotechnology, makes it an incredibly rewarding field.
- How have you used (Agrisera) antibodies in your research?
Agrisera antibodies have been instrumental in our studies on ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins, which are key components of small RNA pathways. These proteins are the effectors of guide RNAs, much like the Cas proteins of the better known CRISPR system. The AGO antibodies allowed us to track the expression, localization, and interactions of AGO proteins in different plant tissues, helping to uncover their diverse functions in small RNA-guided gene regulation. Beyond AGO research, Agrisera’s commitment to high-quality plant antibodies has been a valuable resource for the plant biology community.
- Any further comments?
I appreciate Agrisera’s dedication to supporting plant research over the past 40 years. Their plant-specific antibodies and educational resources, such as the two posters that we collaborated on, have helped advance research and training for scientists worldwide. It’s exciting to see how these tools continue to contribute to new discoveries in plant molecular biology!
Links
• Meyers lab, UC Davis
• Agrisera antibodies to DNA/RNA/Cell Cycle
• Agrisera's Educational Posters
- Please tell us about yourself and your research/institution.
I am Blake Meyers, a plant biologist specializing in small RNAs and their roles in gene regulation, particularly in reproductive development and anther development. My research focuses on small RNA biology, recently including the biogenesis and functions of phased, secondary siRNAs (phasiRNAs). I am at the University of California, Davis, where I am the Director of the Genome Center, a multidisciplinary institute of 18 faculty members that share a common interest in genomic technologies and the application of these methods to diverse biological questions, including biomedicine, microbiology, bioinformatics, and plants. I am a faculty member in the Department of Plant Sciences. In my group, I have a talented team of researchers who are working to explore the molecular mechanisms, evolution, and diversity of plant RNAs, particularly small RNAs — and to identify applications of these discoveries to real world problems in crop plants.
- What motivated you to get into plant science?
My interest in plant science started through a love of plants, but grew further out of a fascination for genetics and molecular biology. I was especially drawn to the complexity and elegance of plant regulatory networks and the ways these are encoded in the genome. Plants offer unique insights into gene silencing, epigenetics, and small RNA biology — areas that remain at the forefront of my research today. The potential for discovery in plant science is immense, and its impact from agriculture to biotechnology, makes it an incredibly rewarding field.
- How have you used (Agrisera) antibodies in your research?
Agrisera antibodies have been instrumental in our studies on ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins, which are key components of small RNA pathways. These proteins are the effectors of guide RNAs, much like the Cas proteins of the better known CRISPR system. The AGO antibodies allowed us to track the expression, localization, and interactions of AGO proteins in different plant tissues, helping to uncover their diverse functions in small RNA-guided gene regulation. Beyond AGO research, Agrisera’s commitment to high-quality plant antibodies has been a valuable resource for the plant biology community.
- Any further comments?
I appreciate Agrisera’s dedication to supporting plant research over the past 40 years. Their plant-specific antibodies and educational resources, such as the two posters that we collaborated on, have helped advance research and training for scientists worldwide. It’s exciting to see how these tools continue to contribute to new discoveries in plant molecular biology!
Links
• Meyers lab, UC Davis
• Agrisera antibodies to DNA/RNA/Cell Cycle
• Agrisera's Educational Posters