Zachary Lippman
Professor & HHMI Investigator
Jacob Goldfield Professor of Genetics
Ph.D., Watson School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 2004
lippman@cshl.edu | (516) 367-8897
My research team studies the genes that determine when and where, and thus how many, flowers are produced on plants. Flowers form on branches called inflorescences, which originate from stem cells. By studying the genes that control how stem cells become inflorescences, we are able to manipulate flower production to improve crop yields.
Zachary Lippman’s research focuses on the process of flowering and flower production in plants, which are major contributors to reproductive success and crop yield. Specifically, Lippman’s research program integrates development, genetics, genomics, and gene editing to explore the mechanisms that determine how plant stem cells become shoots and flowers. The lab takes advantage of extensive natural and mutant variation in inflorescence production and architecture in tomato and related nightshade species (e.g. potato, pepper, groundcherry) to explore how differences in these processes explain the remarkable diversity in the architectures of flower-bearing shoots (inflorescences) observed in nature and agriculture. Recent discoveries on the genes and networks underlying this diversity have led to broader questions on the significance of genomic structural variation, gene redundancy, and epistasis in development, domestication, and breeding. Based on our fundamental discoveries, Lippman is developing and applying innovative concepts and tools for crop improvement.
Zachary Lippman wins Charles Albert Shull Award
Lippman wins NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences
Zachary Lippman named 2019 MacArthur Fellow
Prof. Zachary Lippman named Blavatnik Award finalist
CSHL’s Zachary Lippman named HHMI Investigator
Harold M. Weintraub awardee
Using “guilt by association” to classify cells
July 14, 2021
Using a new computational statistics tool, CSHL researchers classify cells to understand how an organism functions.
Zach Lippman elected to the National Academy of Sciences
April 29, 2021
CSHL Professor & HHMI Investigator Zach Lippman is honored for his work on plant genetics and crop improvement.
For tomato genes, one plus one doesn’t always make two
April 12, 2021
CSHL scientists made a series of mutations in tomatoes to see how they interact with one other. Some combinations yield larger changes than expected.
CSHL professor weighs in: Are CRISPR plants GMOs?
March 15, 2021
CSHL Professor Zach Lippman was interviewed on a BBC podcast about the future of agriculture in the UK and Europe.
WOX9: A jack of all trades
March 4, 2021
A single gene can have many functions across different plant genomes. Changing the gene’s regulatory region can change the traits it produces.
Designing crops for a changing climate
December 15, 2020
In the face of climate change, engineering genetic modifications into new crops will ensure future food supplies.
Leshan, Lippman address “Life Science Across the Globe” series
September 11, 2020
Professor Zach Lippman and Executive Director of the Banbury Center Rebecca Leshan give talks as part of the “Life Science Across the Globe” series.
Human Nature documentary panel discussion
September 2, 2020
CRISPR experts, including Professors Zach Lippman, Jennifer Doudna, and Alta Charo discuss the gene-editing technology and its use.
CSHL hosts Human Nature documentary panel with CRISPR experts
September 2, 2020
CRISPR experts, including Professors Zach Lippman, Jennifer Doudna, and Alta Charo discuss the gene-editing technology and its use.
The DNA tricks that gave us 100 different kinds of tomatoes
June 17, 2020
It takes 230,000 genetic differences to make 100 different varieties of tomatoes.
Kwon, C. T. and Heo, J. and Lemmon, Z. H. and Capua, Y. and Hutton, S. F. and Van Eck, J. and Park, S. J. and Lippman, Z. B. (2019) Rapid customization of Solanaceae fruit crops for urban agriculture. Nat Biotechnol, 38 pp. 182-188.
Eshed, Y. and Lippman, Z. B. (2019) Revolutions in agriculture chart a course for targeted breeding of old and new crops. Science, 366(6466)
Soyk, S. and Lemmon, Z. H. and Sedlazeck, F. J. and Jimenez-Gomez, J. M. and Alonge, M. and Hutton, S. F. and Van Eck, J. and Schatz, M. C. and Lippman, Z. B. (2019) Duplication of a domestication locus neutralized a cryptic variant that caused a breeding barrier in tomato. Nat Plants, 5(5) pp. 471-497.
Additional materials of the author atCSHL Institutional Repository