About CEPCEB
Who We Are
Part of the Institute for Integrative Genome Biology (IIGB), the Center for Plant Cell Biology (CEPCEB) was established in 2002 by Emerita Professor Natasha Raikhel with funds from former UC Riverside Chancellor Ray Orbach. Dr. Raikhel aspired to develop a “modern biotechnology hub” within IIGB with core facilities for bioinformatics, proteomics, chemical genomics, and advanced microscopy. The resulting multidisciplinary Center fosters “system-based” research that melds computational approaches and technological innovations with molecular and cellular biology.
The Center synergizes UCR’s existing strengths in botany and plant sciences and provides an infrastructure that promotes interdisciplinary research and interaction among researchers to conduct research using multidisciplinary approaches applied to both model plant systems and important crop plants. Although the Center is nucleated around plant biology, its infrastructure expends into related areas of biological science and other disciplines, including applied mathematics, statistics, engineering, physics and chemistry.
Our Mission
The Center for Plant Cell Biology addresses significant questions in plant biology on a molecular level to meet such global challenges as improved nutrition, increased crop yield, resistance to pests, sustainable biofuels, and environmental conservation.
To accomplish this, the Center engages its world-class researchers, the scientific community, and industry in interdisciplinary research, employing the latest advances in computation biology, engineering, chemical proteomics, microscopy and bioinformatics.
Center Leadership
Under the leadership of Julia Bailey-Serres since 2013, CEPCEB’s interdisciplinary initiatives, aided by the NSF-funded ChemGen IGERT and Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) programs, have united members of our biological sciences, engineering, computing and chemistry departments.
CEPCEB is a vibrant community of over 60 laboratories that address fundamental questions of plant biology with an eye on translation of knowledge to agriculture and biotechnology.
Our Faculty
Our Membership comprises over 60 physical and life scientists, engineers, biologists, computer scientists and statisticians in 14 Departments and 3 schools across UCR, including 5 members of the National Academies of Science.
To find out more about our members and their research areas, please refer to their individual profiles.