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Yan Xu

Ramapo Success Story

“It is a pleasure working with a fantastic group of colleagues in diverse specialties at Ramapo. I was able to maintain my scholarship while teaching, thankful to the support from the unit and the college levels. It is also exciting to have initiated a new minor in Plant Studies, promoting the awareness and appreciation of the campus community to the contributions of plants. I have grown to be a more mature educator and researcher since I began my career at Ramapo.

I have mentored about 20 Biology/Biochemistry/Bioinformatics students on research related to food and medicinal plants, through the TAS Research Honors program, independent study and volunteering. I interacted with most of them on a one-to-one basis. Each of these students has gained hands-on learning experience to independently design and was able to carry out a research project, analyze data and present the findings at local or national academic events. Two of the TAS Research Honors projects were published on peer-reviewed journals, with the undergraduate students being the first authors. Such high-standard research experiences have made them distinctive when they applied for graduate programs. The first author of one article is completing her Master’s degree at NYU. The first author of the other article just began her Ph.D. studies at the University of Georgia.”

– Yan Xu is an Associate Professor of Biology and first joined Ramapo in 2010. For more information, please visit Yan’s Faculty Profile.

School:
The School of Theoretical and Applied Science

Recent Publications

Courtney, A., J. Xu and Y. Xu*. 2016. Responses of growth, antioxidants and gene expression in smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) to various levels of salinity. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 99: 162-170.

Jespersen, D., E. Merewitz, Y. Xu, J. Honig, S. Bonos, W. Meyer and B. Huang. 2016. Quantitative trait loci associated with physiological traits for heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass. Crop Science 56: In press.

Mapes, C. and Y. Xu*. 2014. Photosynthesis, vegetative habit, and culinary properties of sage (Salvia officinalis) in response to low-light conditions. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 94: 881-889.

Xu, Y., H. Du and B. Huang. 2013. Identification of metabolites associated with superior heat tolerance in thermal bentgrass through metabolic profiling. Crop Science 53: 1626-1635.

Xu, Y., C. Zhan and B. Huang. 2011. Heat shock proteins in association with heat tolerance in grasses. International Journal of Proteomics Volume 2011 (doi:10.1155/2011/529648).

Awards and Accomplishments

Outstanding Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 2012
FDF/SBR Grant, 2011, 2013, 2016
Foundation Grant, 2012, 2014, 2015

Education

B.S. Nanjing University, P.R.China June 2004
Ph.D.    Rutgers University-New Brunswick    May 2010

Classes Known For

Plant Physiology
Food Science
Fundamentals of Biology II