EDUCATION

• Ph.D.  1998  Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University Plant Physiology (major), Plant Molecular Biology and Plant Cell Biology (minors)
• M.S. 1992 Horticulture, Purdue University
• B.S.  1990 Colorado State University, Biochemistry, Agriculture Biosciences, Biology (majors),  Botany, Chemistry (minors)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1999-present Plant Physiologist, Plant Germplasm Pres. Res., USDA-ARS-NCGRP
• 1998-99 Postdoctoral Research Assoc, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
• 1993-4, 97-8 Plant Cell and Molecular Biology Fellowship Recipient, Plant Biology Section, Cornell U.
• 1994-1997 Teaching Assistant, Cornell U.: Botany Lab., Introductory Biology Lab.,Plant Physiology Lecture and Lab., Transmission Electron Microscopy Lab.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Identify mechanisms that enable propagules to tolerate low temperature and desiccation stresses using biophysical, ultrastructural, molecular, and physiological techniques.
• Design collection and preservation strategies for clonal germplasm that efficiently capture genetic diversity and increase the representation of plant species in the  NCGRP base collection.
• Examine metabolic pathways that lead to repair and recovery of cryopreserved germplasm.
• Increase use of data standards in geographic and genomics databases.

RECENT/ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

• Society for Cryobiology
• Temperature Stress Gordon Conferences
• American Society for Horticultural Science (Genetics and Germplasm Working Group officer)
• American Pomological Society (Board of Directors)
• Rosaceae Genomics (Standardizing Phenotypic Working Group)
• Rosaceae Executive Committee
• Plant Germplasm Operations Committee
  (Chair, Sampling subcommittee, member Molecular Markers subcommittee,  member GIS  subcommittee)
• Malus Crop Germplasm Committee
• Prunus Crop Germplasm Committee
• Bulb and Root Vegetable Crop Germplasm Committee
• Garlic Seed Foundation

PEER REVIEWED MANUSCRIPTS (GM Volk) (of 30 total):

Genetic Resources Collection

Walters C, Volk GM, Richards CM.  2008.  Genebanks in the post-genomic age: Emerging roles and anticipated uses.  Biodiversity 9:68-71.

Lockwood DR, Richards CM, Volk GM. 2007.  Wild Plant Sampling Strategies: The roles of Ecology and Evolution.  HortReviews vol. 33: 285-313.

Lockwood DR, Richards CM, Volk GM. 2007. Sampling for wild plant genetic diversity: Probabilistic models for collecting genetic diversity: Comparisons, caveats and limitations.  Crop Sci. 47:859-866.

Volk GM, Richards CM 2008.  Availability of genotypic data for USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System accessions using the Genetic Resources Information Network (GRIN) database.  HortScience 43: 1365-1366.

Volk, GM Walters C. 2003. Preservation of genetic resources in the national plant germplasm clonal collections. Plant Breeding Reviews 23: 291-344.

Genetic Resources Preservation

Volk GM, Waddell J, Bonnart R, Towill L, Ellis D, Luffman M.  2008.  High viability of dormant Malus buds after 10 years of storage in liquid nitrogen vapour.  CryoLetters 29:89-94.

Towill L, Bonnart R, Volk G. 2006. Cryopreservation of Arabidopsis thaliana shoot tips.  CryoLetters 27:353-360.

Volk GM, Richards K. 2006.  Preservation methods for Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) cultivars.  HortScience 41:80-83.

Ellis D, Skogerboe D, Andre C, Hellier B, Volk G. 2006.  Implementation of garlic cryopreservation techniques in the National Plant Germplasm System. CryoLetters 27:99-106

Volk GM, Rotindo K. Lyons W. 2004. Low temperature storage of garlic for spring planting. HortScience  39:571-573.

Volk GM, Maness N, Rotindo K. 2004. Cryopreservation of garlic (Allium sativum L.) using plant vitrification solution 2.  CryoLetters 25: 219-226.

Cryopreservation Mechanisms

Volk GM, Walters C. 2006. Plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) lowers water content and alters freezing behavior in shoot tips during cryoprotection. Cryobiology 52:48-61.

Volk, G.M., Crane J, Caspersen, AM, Hill LM, Gardner C, Walters C. 2006.  Massive cellular disruption occurs during early imbibition of Cuphea seeds containing crystallized triacylglycerols.  Planta 224:1415-1426.

Volk GM, Harris JL, Rotindo KE. 2006. Survival of mint shoot tips after exposure to cryoprotectant solution components.  Cryobiology, 52:305-308.

Volk GM, Crane J, Caspersen A, Kovach D, Gardner C, Walters C.  2007.  Hydration of Cuphea seeds containing crystallized triacylglycerols.  Functional Plant Biology 34:360-367.

Volk GM, Caspersen AM 2007 Plasmolysis and recovery of different cell types in cryoprotected shoot tips of Mentha X piperita.  Protoplasma 231:215-226.

Collection Diversity

Volk, GM, Henk A, Richards C. 2004. Genetic diversity among US garlic clones as detected using AFLP methods.  J Am Soc Hort Sci. 129: 559-569. (Cover photo).

Volk GM, Richards CM, Reilley AA, Henk AD, Forsline PL, Aldwinckle HS. 2005.   Ex situ conservation of vegetatively-propagated species: Development of a seed-based core collection for Malus sieversii. J Am Soc Hort Sci. 130: 203-210 (Cover photo).

Volk GM, Richards CM, Henk AD, Reilley AA, Bassil NV, Postman JD.  2006. Diversity of wild Pyrus communis based on microsatellite analyses.  J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 131:408-417.

Volk GM, Richards CM, Reilley AA, Henk AD, Reeves PA, Forsline PL, Aldwinckle HS. 2008. Genetic diversity of wild Malus orientalis from Turkey and southern Russia.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.  133:383-389 (cover)

Plant Cell Biology

Volk G, Turgeon R, Beebe D. 1996.  Secondary plasmodesmata formation in the minor vein phloem of Cucumis melo L. and Cucurbita pepo L.  Planta 199: 425-432.
Volk GM, Franceschi VR. 2000.  Localization of a calcium channel-like protein in the sieve element plasma membrane.  Aust J Plant Phys 27: 779-786.

Volk GM, Lynch-Holm V, Kostman TA,  Franceschi VR. 2002.  The role of druse and raphide calcium oxalate crystals in tissue calcium regulation in Pistia stratiotes leaves.  Plant Biology  4: 34-45.

Volk GM, Haritatos EE, Turgeon R. 2003.  Galactinol synthase gene expression in melon. J of Am Soc Hort Sci. 128: 8-15.

Volk GM, Goss LJ, Franceshi VR. 2004. Calcium channels are involved in calcium oxalate crystal formation in specialized cells of Pistia stratiotes L.  Annals of Botany 93: 741-753.