Our quest is to unlock the mysteries of plant life, organisms that constitute the foundation for all life on Earth. We investigate how sunlight is absorbed and used by plants to produce biomass, how inorganic nutrients are captured and converted into organic matter using the energy from light, how single cells and the plant body are formed, how the environment shapes plant growth and development above and below ground and, in turn, how plants interact with and shape the environment. We focus on extending knowledge of fundamental biological mechanisms critical for plant growth and development through basic research. This knowledge will serve as a foundation for solving problems faced by agriculture, the environment, and medicine and for developing practices that enable global sustainability.