Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU), and has held a joint appointment since June 1991, when he first came to the Experiment Station.
by Linda McCandless
Geneva, NY - Warren F. Lamboy was recently promoted to Senior Research Associate in Cornell University's Department of Horticultural Sciences at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY. He is assigned to the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU), and has held a joint appointment since June 1991, when he first came to the Experiment Station.
"Good things come to those who are impatient," said Lamboy. "In all seriousness, I am extremely excited about my new position and very grateful to the Department of Hort Science and PGRU for recognizing my contributions."
"Dr. Lamboy has a unique combination of scientific skills," said Hugh Price, chairman of the department at Geneva. "During his short duration at Cornell, he has demonstrated excellence in research and ability to provide leadership to a molecular biology laboratory. He is a valued member of this department and contributes significantly to several programs at both Geneva and Ithaca."
Price also lauded Lamboy's efforts as curator of the PGRU's grape collection, a position Lamboy has held since 1994. "I do not feel Cornell could have found another individual who could so effectively curate the grape collection and, at the same time, contribute so much to our understanding of genetic diversity and the use of biotechnology in studying that diversity."
The broad goal of Lamboy's program is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of germplasm acquisition, maintenance and security, documentation, characterization and evaluation, and distribution at the PGRU and in the National Plant Germplasm System. He is the leader of PGRU's molecular biology group, supervises and conducts molecular taxonomic studies below the species level, serves as unit biostatistician, and curates the cold-hardy grape (Vitis ) germplasm collection of 2600 living vines.
Lamboy and the laboratory staff have successfully begun DNA fingerprinting of the 1300 different genotypes in the grape collection using microsatellite (also called simple sequence repeat or SSR) markers. He is also contributes to the fingerprinting of the apple collection.
"Our goal is to continue our DNA studies until we have fingerprinted the entire apple and grape collections," said Lamboy, who expects the process to take two to three more years. "Then we will utilize that information in collection management, in determining whether we have duplicates, and evaluating important potential additions to the collections."
Lamboy received his Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of Illinois in 1990, his M.S. in statistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979, and his B.S. in mathematics from Carroll College in 1974. For five years, he was also a student of botany at UW-Madison. He is a member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, the American Society for Horticultural Science, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and the American Society of Systematic Biologists.
Lamboy is very excited about the recently established Research and Evaluation Quarantine Block (REQ) at Geneva. "The REQ enables Cornell and USDA researchers to cost-effectively evaluate, under New York's growing conditions, a greater number of imported grape varieties than ever before," said Lamboy. He is also enthused about a recent Viticulture Consortium Grant which has enabled him to work with Dave Peterson and Bruce Reisch to unambiguously identify grape cultivars for cool climates. Misidentification of grape and apple nursery stock can cost commercial growers thousands of dollars.
"I wouldn't have been able to achieve any of this without all the other people in PGRU, from the field and greenhouse crews to the data base unit to the laboratory staff to the other researchers," said Lamboy. "In particular, without the living and seed collections and their documentation, the unit would be nothing. The people who keep the collections going create the foundation on which the entire unit rests, and they really don't get enough credit. Also, Jim McFerson's strong and focused leadership at the unit has facilitated research activities and accomplishments that I would not have had otherwise."
Lamboy spends his spare time painting abstract oils, and notes his favorite painters are Clyfford Still, Jackson Pollack, and Esteban Vicente. He lives in Geneva with his wife Jana.
(To access 300 dpi scan, click on above photograph.)
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