The first of these is related to epigenetics where the lab has identified the Arabidopsis genes encoding Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain proteins and histone methyltransferases (SET-domain Proteins), and seeks to understand their function. The other field is the elucidation of genes controlling floral organ abscission and other cell separation events in plants.
Aalen’s lab has shown that the small peptide Inflorescence Deficient In Abscission (IDA) signals through Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor-Like Kinases. The group is aiming at unraveling downstream components of this signaling pathway, and at matching related peptides and receptors involved in other cell-separation processes.