Plant root phenotyping from 3D imaging

Abstract: Roots, the "hidden" half of plants, play a vital role in the development and function of plants. Recent advances in imaging (e.g., CT and MRI) have allowed biologists to "see" the structure and growth of roots in 3D. However, due to the complexity of roots and the limitations of imaging, accurate and efficient extraction of quantitative root information (e.g., root shape and branching hierarchy) needed for biological studies still faces many challenges. In this talk, I will present several recent algorithms and tools for 3D shape and topology analysis that are motivated by the need to address these real-world challenges. This is a collaboration between WashU and Danforth Plant Science Center.

Bio: Tao Ju is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He obtained his B.S. and B.A. degrees from Tsinghua University in 2000, and his M.S. and PhD degrees from Rice University in 2005. He conducts research in computer graphics, particularly geometric modeling and shape analysis, and explores applications in biomedicine. His research is supported by NSF and NIH, including an NSF CAREER award in 2009.

Plant root phenotyping from 3D imaging

Abstract: Roots, the "hidden" half of plants, play a vital role in the development and function of plants. Recent advances in imaging (e.g., CT and MRI) have allowed biologists to "see" the structure and growth of roots in 3D. However, due to the complexity of roots and the limitations of imaging, accurate and efficient extraction of quantitative root information (e.g., root shape and branching hierarchy) needed for biological studies still faces many challenges. In this talk, I will present several recent algorithms and tools for 3D shape and topology analysis that are motivated by the need to address these real-world challenges. This is a collaboration between WashU and Danforth Plant Science Center.

Bio: Tao Ju is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He obtained his B.S. and B.A. degrees from Tsinghua University in 2000, and his M.S. and PhD degrees from Rice University in 2005. He conducts research in computer graphics, particularly geometric modeling and shape analysis, and explores applications in biomedicine. His research is supported by NSF and NIH, including an NSF CAREER award in 2009.