Steven D. Tanksley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven Tanksley
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Tanksley in 2011
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Steven Dale Tanksley
April 7, 1954 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Colorado State University (BA) University of California, Davis (PhD) |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Plant Breeding Genetics |
| Institutions | Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences |
| Thesis | Inheritance, developmental expression, and polymorphism of three glycolytic enzymes in species of Lycopersicon (1979) |
| Doctoral students | Susan McCouch |
Steven Dale Tanksley (born April 7, 1954) is a famous American scientist. He is known for his important work in plant breeding and genetics. These fields help us understand how plants grow and how we can make them better.
Dr. Tanksley used to be a professor at Cornell University. He helped lead a big project there called the Genomics Initiative Task Force. Today, he is a Professor Emeritus at Cornell, which means he is a retired professor but still connected to the university. He is also the Chief Technology Officer for a company called Nature Source Improved Plants.
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Learning and Growing
Steven Tanksley went to Colorado State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy in 1976. Agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production.
He then continued his studies at the University of California, Davis. In 1979, he earned his doctorate degree in genetics. Genetics is the study of how traits are passed down from parents to their children.
Helping Plants Grow Better
In 1985, Dr. Tanksley joined Cornell University as a professor. He became a full professor in 1994. His work focused on making plants stronger and more useful.
He helped create the first "molecular maps" for tomato and rice plants. Think of these maps like treasure maps for genes. They show where specific genes are located on a plant's DNA.
In 1993, Dr. Tanksley and his team found a special gene in tomato plants. This gene helps the plants fight off diseases. This was a very important discovery. It was one of the first times scientists successfully found and copied a specific gene in a major crop plant using its DNA map.
Finding Useful Genes
A lot of Dr. Tanksley's work was about finding useful genes. He looked for these genes in wild plants that are related to our food crops. For example, he studied wild tomatoes to find genes that could make cultivated tomatoes bigger or a different shape.
He used a method called Marker-assisted selection (MAS). This is like using a special scanner to find good genes quickly. It helps plant breeders choose the best plants without waiting for them to fully grow.
His team also developed a method called advanced backcross Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). This method helps move good genes from wild plants into the plants we grow for food. It makes our crops stronger and more productive.
Dr. Tanksley has written over 200 scientific papers. He has also taught and guided many students, including Susan McCouch, who became a famous scientist herself.
Starting a Company
In 2006, Dr. Tanksley helped start a company called Nature Source Genetics. This company uses computer programs to find better ways to use the natural differences in plant genes. Their goal is to improve crops.
Later, in 2016, Nature Source Genetics joined with another company. They formed Nature Source Improved Plants, LLC. This new company works on making plants better, growing them, and selling them. They have offices in New York and Mexico.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Tanksley has received many important awards for his work.
- In 1995, he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United States.
- He also received the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Award.
- He won the Martin Gibbs Medal from the American Society of Plant Biologists.
- In 2004, he received the Wolf Prize in Agriculture. This is a major international award.
- He was given the Kumho International Science Award in 2005.
- In 2016, he won the prestigious Japan Prize.
- In 2009, he was made a Foreign Member of the Royal Society of London. This is a very old and respected scientific group in the United Kingdom.
