From the President

Thank you for visiting the BTI Web site.

BTI, in my view, has three missions: research, education, and environment. The research mission dominates, but each of these three has a place at the table, and each contributes to the other.

On the research front, BTI carries out William Boyce Thompson’s vision, investigating “why and how plants grow, why they languish or thrive, how their diseases may be conquered, how their development may be stimulated by the regulation of the elements which contribute to their life.” Our scientists delve into the molecular, genetic and chemical basis of how plants respond to light, ward off disease and insects, team up with fungi, and communicate within and between cells.

Our education mission has several facets. The outreach coordinator leads a broad range of educational activities, targeted to groups from elementary students to adults. This Web site is another of our efforts to explain our research to a wide audience-please click here to let us know how we’re doing.

The way we do business, and our research itself, have the potential to contribute positively to the stewardship of our planet. Recent initiatives have substantially reduced energy use, and we continue to look for ways to make improvements. We now use biodegradable plates, cups, and cutlery at BTI events, and Fair Trade coffee in the communal machine. We use paper with 30% recycled content in all printers and copy machines, and encourage employees to print double-sided (or not at all).

I hope you find the information you’re looking for here. Please feel free to contact us with questions or comments, or to find out about visiting the institute.

— David Stern

BTI’s Vision and Mission

William Boyce Thompson founded BTI in 1924 on the premise that basic plant research leads to real benefits for people. Many potential applications of BTI research are to improving crops by increasing yield or nutritional content, or decreasing the need for harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Other research could lead to inexpensive plant-made vaccines, or even shed light on the human immune system.

With aims like these in mind, scientists at BTI study life at the scale of genes and proteins to learn about processes such as how plants detect light, or how they respond when aphids bite into them. Along with research, BTI’s mission includes environmental responsibility and outreach to teachers, students, and community members.

Though it remains an independent, non-profit institution, BTI is now affiliated with Cornell University and is located on its Ithaca, New York campus.