Keiko Torii
Collaborating Researcher, Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Website:https://www.plant-stomata.org
Plant development, cell-cell communication, peptides, receptor kinase, stomata
Through being selected as an HHMI-GBMF investigator of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Torii has been recognized as one of "the 15 most innovative plant scientists in the US". Torii has elucidated the molecular and genetic basis of cell-cell communication and dynamics of cellular behaviors that coordinate plant organ morphogenesis and tissue patterning. She has also identified two peptides, EPFL4 and EPFL6, that act as ligands for receptor kinases to promote plant growth. She will be involved mainly in the development of molecules that selectively induce plant growth as well as the bio-imaging project, collaborating with the groups of Higashiyama, Kinoshita, Itami, Yamaguchi, and Irle.
Profile
1987 | B.S.; University of Tsukuba (Biological Sciences) |
1989 | M.S.; University of Tsukuba (Biological Sciences) |
1993 | Ph.D.; University of Tsukuba (Biological Sciences; Biochemistry and Biophysics) |
1992-1994 | JSPS Research Fellow;The University of Tokyo |
1994-1997 | JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow for Research Abroad and Brown Postdoctoral Fellow; Yale University, USA |
1997-1999 | Postdoctoral Fellow; University of Michigan, USA |
1999-2005 | Assistant Professor; University of Washington, USA |
2005-2009 | Associate Professor; University of Washington, USA |
2008-2012 | JST PRESTO Researcher |
2009-present | Professor, University of Washington; USA |
2011-present | Distinguished Professor of Biology; University of Washington, USA |
2011-present | Investigator; Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (HHMI-GBMF), USA |
2013-present | Visiting Professor; WPI-ITbM, Nagoya University |
Research Highlights
- Plant stomata patterning controlled by competition of two antagonistic peptides - Discovery of a new mechanism for plant peptide hormones -
- Unlocking the mystery on how plant leaves grow their teeth
- More mouths can be fed by boosting number of plant pores
- Chemical hijacking of plant hormones
- Scientists reveal why plant stomata has its particular lip shape
News
- Prof. Keiko Torii receives the 2015 Fellow of ASPB Award (2015.04.09)
- Prof. Keiko Torii receives the 2015 Saruhashi Award (2015.04.21)
- Prof. Keiko Torii wins the Science Lectureship Award 2015 (2015.10.19)
Selected Awards and Honors
2015 | Science Lectureship Award 2015, Chiba University |
2015 | Saruhashi Prize, Association for the Bright Future for Women Scientists |
2015 | ASPB Fellow Award, American Society of Plant Scientists |
2014 | Inoue Prize for Sciences, Inoue Foundation |
2014-2018 | Scientific Council Member, The Sainsbury Lab, UK |
2014 | ADVANCE Distinguished Lectureship, Kansas State University |
2012 | Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) |
2012 | Elected Member, Washington State Academy of Science (WSAS) |
2012 | Elected Member, North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee |
2011 | HHMI-GMBF Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation |
2010 | University of Washington Undergraduate Research Mentor Award |
2008 | JSPS Prize, Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences |
Selected Publications
- Lee, J. S.; Hnilova, M.; Maes, M.; Lin, Y. C. L.; Putarjunan, A.; Han, S. K.; Avila, J.; Torii, K. U. Nature 2015, 522, 439-443, Competitive binding of antagonistic peptides fine-tunes stomatal patterning. DOI: 10.1038/nature14561
- Tameshige, T.; Hirakawa, Y.; Torii, K. U.; Uchida, N. Front Plant Sci. 2015, 6, 324. Cell walls as a stage for intercellular communication regulating shoot meristem development. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00324
- Peterson, K. M.; Shyu, C.; Burr, C. A.; Horst, R. J.; Kanaoka, M. M.; Omae, M.; Sato, Y.; Torii, K. U. Development 2013, 140, 1924. Arabidopsis homeodomain-leucine zipper IV proteins promote stomatal development and ectopically induce stomata beyond the epidermis. DOI: 10.1242/dev.090209
- Uchida, N.; Lee, J. S.; Horst, R. J.; Lai, H. H.; Kajita, R.; Kakimoto, T.; Tasaka, M.; Torii, K. U. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2012, 109, 6337. Regulation of inflorescence architecture by inter-tissue-layer ligand-receptor communication between the endodermis and phloem. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1117537109
- Lee, J. S.; Kuroha, T.; Hnilova, M.; Khatayevich, D.; Kanaoka, M. M.; McAbee, J. M.; Sarikaya, M.; Tamerler, C.; Torii, K. U. Genes Dev. 2012, 26, 126. Direct interaction of ligand-receptor pairs specifying stomatal patterning. DOI: 10.1101/gad.179895.111
- Pillitteri L. J.; Sloan, D.; Bogenschutz, N. B.; Torii, K. U. Nature 2007, 445, 501. Termination of asymmetric cell division and differentiation of stomata. DOI: 10.1038/nature05467
- Shpak, E. D.; McAbee J. M.; Pillitteri, L. J.; Torii, K. U. Science 2005, 309, 290. Stomatal patterning and differentiation by synergistic interactions of receptor kinases. DOI: 10.1126/science.1109710
- Members
- Yoshimura Group
- Yamaguchi Group
- Bode Group
- Crudden Group
- Frommer Group
- Itami Group
- Kamikouchi Group
- Hirota Group (collaborating with Kay)
- Kinoshita Group
- Ooi Group
- Tama Group
- Shimotohno Group (collaborating with Torii)
- Tsuchiya Group
- Yanai Group
- Laohavisit Group
- Mizuta Group
- Phung Group
- Kurihara Group
- Molecular Structure Center
- Live Imaging Center
- Chemical Library Center
- Peptide Protein Center
- Administrative Department
- Affiliated Researchers