Lange Laboratory Website
Research Interests
The Lange laboratory investigates plant specialized metabolism at multiple levels, including gene discovery, evolution of function, regulation of gene expression, enzyme characterization, and metabolic flux analysis. We are particularly interested in understanding metabolism in specialized anatomical structures and cell types (such as those associated with glandular trichomes and resin ducts), which are responsible for the accumulation of essential oils, oleoresins, and pharmaceutically relevant natural products.
Current projects:
Metabolism in specialized anatomical structures and tissues
p-Menthane pathway in mint
Aroma volatile biosynthesis in cannabis
Enzyme structure-function analyses
Terpene synthases
Terpene hydroxylases
Terpenoid dehydrogenases
Terpenoid reductases
Applied research
Metabolic engineering of the pathway leading to the anticancer diterpenoid taxol®
Mint varietal improvement through breeding (specialty oils)
Enabling technologies for metabolism research
Targeted analysis of specialized metabolites, including structure elucidation
Non-targeted analysis of metabolites from plant, microbial and animal matrices
Metabolite imaging