Plant reproduction is highly sensitive to environmental stress, with pollen representing one of the most vulnerable stages of the plant life cycle. We investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that determine pollen performance under stress, with a particular emphasis on ROS, redox regulation, and metabolic activity. Using approaches including flow cytometry, we study functional heterogeneity within pollen populations and seek to understand the mechanisms underlying pollen sensitivity and resilience to high temperature. This work aims to uncover mechanisms that can enhance reproductive thermotolerance and contribute to plant resilience under a changing climate.

Selected publications:

1. Direct analysis of pollen fitness by flow cytometry: implications for pollen response to stress.  2019. Luria G, Rutley N, Lazar I, Harper JF, Miller G. The Plant Journal 98 (5), 942-952.  Link

2. Enhanced Reproductive Thermotolerance of the Tomato high pigment 2 Mutant Is Associated With Increased Accumulation of Flavonols in Pollen. 2021. Rutley N, Miller G, Wang F, Harper JF, Miller G, Lieberman-Lazarovich M.Frontiers in Plant Science 12, 672368.   Link

3. Reproductive resilience: putting pollen grains in two baskets. 2021. Rutley N, Harper JF, Miller G. Trends in Plant Science, 27(3):237-246.   Link

4. Characterization of novel pollen-expressed transcripts reveals their potential roles in pollen heat stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana. 2021. Rutley N, Poidevin L, Doniger T, Tillett RL, Rath A, Forment J, Luria G, Schlauch KA, Ferrando A, Harper JF, Miller G. Plant Reproduction 34 (1), 61-78.   Link

5. Methodologies and Considerations in Evaluating Heat Stress Response and Thermotolerance of Pollen Grains. 2026. Miller G, Frencken M, Sapeta H, Gidding F, Geelen D, Kumar P, Rieu I, Lieberman-Lazarovich M. Physiologia Plantarum 178 (1), e70731.   Link