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.

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