Michael Gore
Professor and Chair, School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Breeding and Genetics Section

Michael Gore is a professor of molecular breeding and genetics for nutritional quality, Liberty Hyde Bailey professor, and international professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell University.
Interests
Quantitative genetics and genomics
High-throughput phenotyping tools
Nutritional genomics
Recent Research
The Gore lab combines quantitative genetics, genomics, analytical chemistry and remote sensing to elucidate the genetic basis of complex trait variation in various crops, including maize, oat, cassava, cotton, sorghum, industrial rapeseed, and guayule.
Selected Journal Publications
View profile and publications on Google Scholar.
- Pauli, D., Chapman, S. C., Bart, R., Topp, C. N., Lawrence-Dill, C. J., Poland, J., & Gore, M. (2016). The quest for understanding phenotypic variation via integrated approaches in the field environment. Plant Physiology. 172:622-634.
- Gonzalez-Jorge, S., Mehrshahi, P., Magallanes-Lundback, M., Lipka, A. E., Angelovici, R., Gore, M., & DellaPenna, D. (2016). ZEAXANTHIN EPOXIDASE activity potentiates carotenoid degradation in maturing Arabidopsis seed. Plant Physiology. 171:1837-1851.
- Gazave, E., Tassone, E. E., Ilut, D. C., Wingerson, M., Datema, E., Witsenboer, H., Davis, J. B., Grant, D., Dyer, J. M., Jenks, M. A., Brown, J., & Gore, M. (2016). Population genomic analysis reveals differential evolutionary histories and patterns of diversity across subgenomes and subpopulations of Brassica napus L. Frontiers in Plant Science. 7:525.
- Pauli, D., Andrade-Sanchez, P., Carmo-Silva, A. E., Gazave, E., French, A. N., Heun, J., Hunsaker, D. J., Lipka, A. E., Setter, T. L., Strand, R. J., Thorp, K. R., Wang, S., White, J. W., & Gore, M. (2016). Field-based high-throughput plant phenotyping reveals the temporal patterns of quantitative trait loci associated with stress-responsive traits in cotton. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. 6:865-879.
- Ilut, D. C., Sanchez, P. L., Costich, D. E., Friebe, B., Coffelt, T. A., Dyer, J. M., Jenks, M. A., & Gore, M. (2015). Genomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships in the genus Parthenium (Asteraceae). Industrial Crops and Products. 76:920–929.
- Diepenbrock, C. H., & Gore, M. (2015). Closing the divide between human nutrition and plant breeding. Crop Science. 55:1437-1448.
- Owens, B. F., Lipka, A. E., Magallanes-Lundback, M., Tiede, T., Diepenbrock, C. H., Kandianis, C. B., Kim, E., Cepela, J., Mateos Hernandez, M., Buell, C. R., Buckler, E. S., DellaPenna, D., Gore, M., & Rocheford, T. (2014). A foundation for provitamin A biofortification of maize: Genome-wide association and genomic prediction models of carotenoid levels. Genetics. 198:1699-1716.
- Andrade-Sanchez, P., Gore, M., Heun, J. T., Thorp, K. R., Carmo-Silva, A. E., French, A. N., Salvucci, M. E., & White, J. W. (2014). Development and evaluation of a field-based high-throughput phenotyping platform. Functional Plant Biology. 41:68-79.
- Lipka, A. E., Gore, M., Magallanes-Lundback, M., Mesberg, A., Lin, H., Tiede, T., Chen, C., Buell, C. R., Buckler, E. S., Rocheford, T., & DellaPenna, D. (2013). Genome-wide association study and pathway level analysis of tocochromanol levels in maize grain. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. 3:1287-1299.
Presentations and Activities
- Integration of Genomic and High-Throughput Phenotyping Technologies for Crop Genetic Improvement. Department of Plant Biology and Pathology Seminar Series. December 2016. Rutgers University. New Brunswick, NJ.
- Strengthening National Food, Nutrition and Industrial Bioproduct Security through the Application of Genomics and Phenomics for Crop Improvement. Seoul National University. September 2016. Seoul, South Korea.
- Biofortification of Staple Food Crops for the Global South. National Association of Plant Breeders Annual Meeting. August 2016. Raleigh, NC.
- On the Verge of a New Renaissance for Nutritional Genomics and High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping. Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program Colloquium Series. February 2016. University of Minnesota. St. Paul, MN.
- A Brave New World for Nutrition and Food Security: Integrating Genomic and High-Throughput Phenotyping Technologies for Crop Genetic Improvement. Plant Sciences Institute Seminar Series. February 2016. Iowa State University. Ames, IA.
- Bridging Genetics, Genomics and Nutrition. North American Pulse Improvement Association Biannual Meeting. November 2015. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
- The Road to Food and Nutritional Security: Progress and Prospects for Climate-Resilient High Provitamin A Maize. Genomic Selection. November 2014. German Seed Alliance GmbH. Eckernförde, Germany.
- Closing the Gap between Genotype and Phenotype with a Next-Generation Platform in Maize and Cotton. National Maize Improvement Center of China. March 2014. China Agricultural University. Beijing, China.
- Next-Generation Platforms for Complex Trait Dissection in Maize and Cotton. National Crops Resources Research Institute. August 2013. National Crops Resources Research Institute. Namulonge, Uganda.
- The Genetic Architecture of Tocopherol and Tocotrienol Synthesis in Maize Seed. Plant Metabolic Engineering. July 2013. Gordon Research Conference. Waterville Valley, NH.
Outreach and Extension Focus
Michael serves on the editorial boards of Theoretical and Applied Genetics, The Plant Phenome Journal, and Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, and served as the Chair for the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee (SCC080)―the USDA-sponsored advisory group of representatives from land grant universities.
Awards & Honors
- Distinguished Alumnus in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences (2017) Virginia Tech
- Early Career Excellence in Maize Genetics Award (2016) Maize Genetics Executive Committee
- Early Career Award (2013) American Society of Plant Biologists
- Early Career Scientist Award (2012) National Association of Plant Breeders
Courses Taught
- PLBRG 4030: Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants
- PLBRG 4070: Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops
- PLBRG 4110: High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping.
Michael also teaches two short courses at the Tucson Plant Breeding Institute in Tucson, Arizona and other international locations.
Contact Information
358 Plant Science Building
Ithaca, NY 14853
mag87 [at] cornell.edu
Graduate fields:
- Plant Breeding
Education:
- Doctorate
Cornell University
2009
- Master of Science
Virginia Tech
2000
- Bachelor of Science
Virginia Tech
1997
More information:
Michael in the news

News
Michael Gore, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor and chair of the Plant Breeding and Genetics Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is leading a multidisciplinary project to...
- School of Integrative Plant Science
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
- Soil and Crop Sciences Section

News
A breakthrough technology developed by Cornell researchers uses nanoscale sensors and fiber optics to measure water status just inside a leaf’s surface, where water in plants is most actively managed. The engineering feat provides a minimally invasive research tool that will greatly advance the understanding of basic plant biology, and opens the door for breeding more drought-resistant crops.
- School of Integrative Plant Science
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
- Agriculture