Shelley Hepworth
Professor
- B.Sc. (Waterloo), Ph.D. (Toronto)
- 315 Nesbitt Biology Building, 杏吧原创 University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
- Email Shelley Hepworth
- 613-520-2600 ext 4214
Research
The Hepworth lab studies plants. Plants contribute to our well-being in many different ways as a source of habitat, food, shelter, and medicine. Our research focuses on plant architecture traits that are important for crop yield.
The source of physical traits in a plant is the shoot apical meristem, a dome-like cluster of stem cells that drives vertical growth and produces leaves, branches, and flowers according to the life cycle. We study how this development is timed and organized at the level of genes and molecules. Application of this knowledge is used to optimize traits like branching architecture, abscission, and seed dispersal in crop plants.
We work in partnership with university and government researchers in Canada (e.g. University of Ottawa, National Research Council Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) and other parts of the world (e.g. Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin in France, Lanzhou University in China) and industry (e.g. Cannabis Orchards) in sharing students, ideas, and resources to improve the speed and efficiency of crop breeding.
In you are interested in plant biology, we鈥檇 love to hear from you. We have opportunities for students at all levels. Please contact me at the address above. For details about specific projects, you can also visit our .
Selected Publications
V. Pautot, J. Crick*, S.R. Hepworth (2025) . Annals of Botany (in press)
S. Li*, B. Devi*, G. Allam*, A. Bhullar, J. Murmu, E. Li, and S.R. Hepworth. (2023) . Frontiers in Plant Science 14, 1244583
J. Crick*, L. Corrigan*, K. Belcram, M. Khan*, J. Dawson, B. Adroher, S. Li, S.R. Hepworth, and V. Pautot (2022). . Journal of Experimental Botany 73, 6150-6169.
N. Manes*, E. Brauer, S.R. Hepworth, and R. Subramaniam (2021). . Journal of Experimental Botany 72, 6628-6639.
Y. Wang*, B.C. Salasini*, M. Khan*, B. Devi*, M. Bush*, R. Subramaniam, and S.R. Hepworth. (2019) . Plant Physiology 180, 937-951
J.L. Parsons*, S.L. Martin, T. James, G. Golenia, E.A. Boudko, and S.R. Hepworth. (2019) . Frontiers in Plant Science 10, 476.1090.