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Joyce G. Onyenedum
Faculty
New York University
Environmental Studies
Posted 3-26-25
@JGOnyenedum (x)
Joyce celebrating the model plant of the lab, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
My research focuses on the evolution and development of complex traits with a special emphasis on climbing plants (vines). Vines have a unique capacity to move quickly, attaching to neighboring trees as they ascend through the forest canopy. Despite how insanely complicated this is, vines have somehow independently evolved multiple times across the phylogeny of plants. In my lab we take an interdisciplinary approach to address the fundamental question: How do plants climb? We dissect this question from the perspective of systematics and evolution, developmental anatomy, and cell wall biology and molecular biology.
I developed this interdisciplinary approach from my training with Dr. Chelsea Specht and Dr. Carl Rothfels during my PhD at the University of California Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology. There I learned how to think outside of my disciplinary lines, and employ a diversity of tools as necessary to address my targeted research questions. Before beginning my PhD I was fortunate to complete a bachelor's degree in plant sciences then proceed to a unique position at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University as a curatorial fellow in the living collections. At the arboretum, I learned the art of curation of both living and archival collections and grew to love natural history research.
Joyce observing lianas in Ghana
How Joyce got interested in the botanical sciences:
I went on my first hike at 19 years old as a college junior. Why did it take so long to walk amongst the trees? I grew up right outside New York City, where no one in my immediate environment took an interest in plants, so it was never in my consciousness. However, in 2012, my nuclear family decided to visit our extended family in Haiti after a massive earthquake hit the capital city. We journeyed back to my father’s hometown of L’Asile, where I saw, for the first time, foods in the grocery store as actual… plants! My grandfather cultivated the land, living in the mountains, where he showed me an actual pineapple plant, an actual pomegranate tree, an actual banana plant! In my life in NY— totally detached from agriculture, I realized that food… well it comes from plants! And they don’t only have these precious fruits, but they also have interesting leaves, flowers, growth forms and so many other intriguing characteristics. I left that trip with a new lease: suddenly, I was able to critically observe plants and see the finer details. I didn’t know the term at the time but what I was marveling at was “biodiversity.” This is how my journey began. From that moment onward, I became captivated by plant diversity, transferring from my small commuter school in Long Island (SUNY College at Old Westbury) to Cornell University where I majored in Plant Sciences. Through research and classes I refined my interest to plant systematics and evolution, and I never looked back!
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Onyenedum lab 2024 lab photo, ice skating in Bryant Park in NYC
Joyce's advice for those just starting their botanical journey:
"Stay in your own lane!" This means, do not waste your time comparing yourself to others. Own your story, own your journey, and enjoy the ride.
Published Articles in BSA Journals:
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Onyenedum, J. G., M. S. Sousa‐Baena, L. M. Hunt, A. A. Acevedo, R. A. E. Glos, and C. T. Anderson. 2025. Gelatinous fibers develop asymmetrically to support bends and coils in common bean vines (Phaseolus vulgaris). American Journal of Botany 112(3): e70014.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.70014
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Cunha Neto, I. L., and J. G. Onyenedum. 2023. Ectopic cambia: Connections between natural and experimental vascular mutants. American Journal of Botany 110(10): e16246.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16246
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Onyenedum, J. G., and M. R. Pace. 2021. The role of ontogeny in wood diversity and evolution. American Journal of Botany 108(12): 2331–2355.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1801
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