Healthy societies depend on reliable access to nutritious food. Yet crop productivity can fluctuate, and we still do not fully understand the basic biological processes that determine how plants grow and convert sunlight into the leaves, seeds, and oils that sustain human diets.

Inside every plant cell, tiny molecular machines called myosin motors act like microscopic engines. These motors move along internal tracks to mix the cell’s contents in a process known as cytoplasmic streaming. In some large aquatic algae, these motors operate at extraordinary speeds - faster even than the motors that power animal muscle. Remarkably, when these ultrafast motors are introduced into crop plants, the plants grow larger and produce more seeds. However, scientists do not yet understand how changing motor speed affects cell size, plant growth, and overall productivity.

In this project, we will engineer new versions of plant myosin motors that can be precisely controlled, including motors that change speed when exposed to light. By testing how these motors influence cell mixing, tissue growth, and whole-plant development, we aim to uncover fundamental principles of plant physiology. Ultimately, this work could provide new strategies for enhancing crop growth and stability, strengthening the food systems that underpin global human health.