Dr. Janice Cooke

Biography

Janice Cooke received her BSc (Honours, Co-op) from the University of Victoria. After spending a couple of years working in the industry, she returned to school and completed her PhD at the University of Alberta. Following this, she undertook postdoctoral fellow appointments at the University of Florida and Université Laval before joining the University of Alberta in 2005. Dr. Cooke's research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin how forest trees respond to environmental cues. She serves as the Editor-in-Chief for Tree Physiology (Oxford University Press) and as the Deputy Coordinator for Division 2 of the International Union for Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). Her lab investigates how forest trees respond to both biotic (such as pests and pathogens) and abiotic (like temperature, daylength, nitrogen, and water) environmental cues. She has received several honors including the CD Nelson Award from the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists and the McCalla Professorship Killam Annual Professorship from the University of Alberta. Her work has focused particularly on coniferous species like pines and spruces, as well as poplars and aspens, as she explores forest tree responses to challenges such as insect pests and fungal pathogens. Dr. Cooke is currently leading projects that investigate various aspects of tree biology, including genetic factors influencing tree responses to environmental pressures.

Research Interests

Courses