Welcome to the Pilon/Smits Laboratory

Fort Collins, Colorado
Recent publications
The lab outdoors

Can plants be used to clean up environmental pollutants?

How do plants maintain metal homeostasis?

Do plants and soil microbes interact to degrade organic pollutants?
Old Town, Fort Collins
Much of our research relates to phytoremediation: using plants to remediate environmental pollution. We work from the molecular level to the whole plant level to the field. We try to identify which steps are rate-limiting for the phytoremediation of different pollutants and to use genetic engineering to improve phytoremediation efficiency.
We are a plant biology research group with interests in both basic and applied science. Our research includes investigation of plant molecular biology, plant physiology, and phytoremediation. Our joint group currently consists of two Associate Professors, three Postdocs, five graduate students, a visiting professor, and seven undergraduates.

Summer on the Front Range

For more information: Marinus Pilon: (970) 491 0803 pilon@lamar.colostate.edu

Elizabeth Pilon-Smits: (970) 491 4991 epsmits@lamar.colostate.edu
Our research focuses on

1) Ecological and evolutionary aspects of selenium hyperaccumulation

2) Metal homeostasis in chloroplasts

3) Iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis in chloroplasts

4) Plant metabolism of selenium and other oxyanions