Dr. Mijitaba Hamissou

Plant Anatomy and Molecular Biology

 Education

PhD     Botany (1992). Plant Anatomy and Physiology
          Oklahoma State University

M. S.   Agronomy (1987). Plant Physiology
          Oklahoma State University

 Research Interests

The Anatomy and physiology of plants' dysfunctional state has always intrigued my curiosity. Plants are constantly subjected to environmental stresses and destruction by herbivorous insects and animals. Some of the plants' defense mechanisms include excessive growth to overcome clipping and chewing, production of secondary metabolites to deter feeding, modifying their anatomy or hypersensitive response to sustain damage. Classes of proteins have been recently discovered explaining the molecular aspects of salt tolerance in plants and tolerance to other environmental stress.

Using Arabidopsisthaliana as the model plant and sorghum as food crop, my laboratory uses cytochemical and Molecular approaches to investigate on the effects of environmental pollutants and animal predation on the growth and development of flowering plants. My laboratory is also interested in understanding the roles of mitochondrial genome in the plant hypersensitive response to these stresses.

 Selected Publications

1. Harmon, H. J. and M. Hamissou. 1995. Cellular and Molecular Biology, a Laboratory Manual. Copyrighted, 1995

 2. Miller, R. V., W. H. Jeffrey, D. L. Mitchell, A. A. Ferrante, M. Hamissou, and R. B. Coffin. 1994. Assessing Bacterial RecA Activity as Biomarker for Environmental DNA-Damaging Stress. Mol. Ecol. 3(6):619

 3. Webster, J. A., C. Inayatullah, M. Hamissou, and K. A. Mirkes. 1994. Leaf Pubescence Effects in Wheat on Yellow Sugarcane Aphids And Greengugs (Homoptera:Aphidadae). J. Econ. Entomol. 87 (1):231 - 241

 4. Reed, D., M. Hamissou, K. J. D. Burd, N. C. Elliot, and S. D. Kindler. 1993. Relationship of an Aphid Parasitoid's Larval Growth Characteristics And Mummy Weight. Southwest. Entomol. 18(4):245 - 250

 Professional Societies:

Association of Southeastern Biologists

Alabama Academy of Science

Northeast Alabama Orchid Society