This scholarship provided summer funding for both student and mentor.

This summer I began my research on the relationship between microtubule organization and cell-to-cell communication in Arabidopsis thaliana plants. In our study we are focusing on the expression patterns of a developmental signaling protein called CAPRICE (CPC) in wild-type plants and a communication deficient mutant called radially swollen 6 (rsw6). By studying the expression patterns of CPC we can determine if microtubule organization and cell-to-cell communication are in fact related, since rsw6 is not only deficient in communication but also has a unique microtubule organization. Additionally, we are studying perimeter-area ratios in pavement cells located in the leaf epidermis in wild-type and rsw6 plants. These cells have the appearance of jigsaw pieces and thus it is believed that cell-to-cell communication is necessary in order for the cells to acquire such shapes. By comparing the results between the wild-type plants and the communication deficient plants we hope to better understand the role of cell-to-cell communication in microtubule organization and the coordination of cell growth.