What do you investigate? I study the TOR nutrient signaling pathway in maize.
What did you want to be as a kid? A painter or a scientist or a vet or an architect
When did you become interested in a career in science? I’ve been interested in science since I was very young.
How did you end up at UW-Madison? I followed my PI here from UC Berkeley after finishing my PhD.
What is your favorite thing about Madison? I love the summer here—the weather, the famers’ market, the lakes, the bike paths, and more.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself doing research in maize genetics and molecular biology!
What are your hobbies? I’m a US national champion in ballroom dance. In addition to dance, I like to read, travel, and exercise.
What do you like to cook? I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to food, so I cook whatever I’m in the mood for.
Do you have any pets? I have two cats, Lorik and Valère
Publications
Busche M (2023). How many kinases does it take to change a light developmental response? Plant Cell. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad183
Busche M (2023). TurboID reveals novel pyrenoid proteins in algae. Plant Cell. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad137
Busche M (2023). Against the grain: Certain microtubules arrange perpendicularly to the division site to guide cell division in maize. Plant Cell. 35(5):1302-1303.
Scarpin MR, Busche M, Martinez RE, Harper LC, Reiser L, Szakonyi D, Merchante C, Lan T, Xiong W, Mo B, Tang G, Chen X, Bailey-Serres J, Browning KS, Brunkard JO (2023) An updated nomenclature for plant ribosomal proteins genes. Plant Cell. 35(2):640-643.
Busche M, Hake S, Brunkard JO (2022). Terminal Ear 1 and Phytochromes B1/B2 regulates maize leaf initiation independently. Genetics. 223(2).
Busche M, Scarpin MR, Hnasko R, Brunkard JO. (2021). TOR coordinates nucleotide availability with ribosome biogenesis in plants. Plant Cell. 33(5):1615–1632.Abraham-Juárez MJ, Busche M, Leiboff S, Lunde C, Anderson AA, Christensen SA, Hunter CT, Hake S, Brunkard JO (2021) Liguleless narrow and narrow odd dwarf act in overlapping pathways to regulate maize development and physiology. Plant Journal. 112(4):881-896.