Biological sciences professor Magdalena Bezanilla has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, according to a statement released on March 27. Bezanilla, who holds the Ernest Everett Just 1907 Professorship at Dartmouth College, was recognized for her pioneering research in plant cell growth and development.
The recognition highlights Bezanilla’s significant contributions to understanding how plant cells shape themselves and interact with their environment. This work is considered important because it may help scientists develop plants with specific traits, such as improved climate resilience or enhanced suitability for biofuel production.
Bezanilla’s research focuses on using moss as a model system to uncover molecular mechanisms that determine cell structure. “I really don’t think there’s another organism that allows us to do what we can do with moss,” said Bezanilla. She explained that observing moss development from a single cell provides an unparalleled view of cellular processes over time.
Her laboratory has pioneered several genetic techniques, including multi-gene silencing in 2009, which enabled researchers to silence groups of genes simultaneously and study their functions. More recent efforts have streamlined genetic editing tools specifically for use in moss. By combining advanced imaging with these tools, her team tracks individual proteins within living cells and observes how protein delivery affects cell growth and tissue patterning.
Recent studies led by Bezanilla have identified key roles for certain proteins in plant growth, such as cellulose synthase-like D—a likely generator of cellulose—and explored how calcium ions create chemical maps guiding where cells add material during growth. Ongoing projects are investigating receptors involved in regulating plants’ responses to stress, which could be crucial for improving crop resilience.
Bezanilla has received multiple honors throughout her career. In addition to this latest fellowship from AAAS, she was named a fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologists in 2023 and became the first woman awarded the Golden Spore Award by the International Molecular Moss Science Society. Her accolades also include recognitions from national science foundations and early career awards.
“Professor Bezanilla’s research has been key to elucidating the underlying mechanisms that control cell shape, and this award is fitting recognition of her importance to the field,” said Jane Lipson, associate dean for the sciences.
