Seung Yon (Sue) Rhee, Director
The Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) is an interdisciplinary plant research center established in 2016 under Michigan State University (MSU)’s Global Impact Initiative. An internationally recognized Center of Excellence, PRI performs groundbreaking research addressing the challenges that climate change poses to food production and crop resilience. PRI brings together faculty and trainees from diverse career stages and disciplines across departments and colleges at MSU.
PRI excels in several synergistic areas of research related to plant resilience, extending from basic science to agricultural improvements. The Institute’s research integrates molecular, genetic, physiological, ecological, and computational approaches to understand the complex mechanisms of how plants respond to, resist, and tolerate environmental stresses. Emphasis is placed on mechanistic studies of stress tolerance, plant–microbe interactions, regulatory metabolites, and genotype × environment interactions. This research combines insights from both natural biological systems and crop species to inform agricultural improvement, environmental sustainability, and conservation goals.
PRI focuses on convergent science, uniting cutting-edge plant researchers from colleges, departments, and programs throughout MSU. It maintains a vibrant and collaborative research community of interdisciplinary laboratories comprising faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students, and technical staff. PRI faculty hold joint appointments in departments such as Plant Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Entomology, and Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology. PRI members benefit from mentorship programs, outreach and training opportunities, research and funding resources, and integrations with national and global research networks.
Degree programs are administered through affiliated academic units, with which the Institute faculty hold joint appointments. The student's admission and program of study are subject to the regulations and approval of the appropriate department, program, and college. As students cannot apply to PRI directly, prospective graduate students interested in joining PRI labs are encouraged to apply through the BioMolecular Science Gateway, Department of Plant Biology, or Molecular Plant Sciences program, specifying their interest in being considered by PRI and indicating any faculty members whose research aligns with their interests. It is also recommended to reach out to faculty directly to inquire about joining their labs, as not all faculty members accept students every year. Applicants referred by affiliated degree-granting units are also considered.