Faculty Profile
Marianne C. Kramer
Lecturer
Department of Biology and Biochemistry
Office: Science Teaching Laboratory, 224
Contact: mckramer@uh.edu - 713-743-3326
Education: Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania; B.S. in Biology – Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology, State University of New York at New Paltz
Courses Taught: BIOL3311 Advanced Writing and Genetics Laboratory; BIOL3345 Plant Physiology
I am a plant molecular biologist whose research focuses on how RNA-based mechanisms regulate gene expression and shape plant responses to their environment. I helped develop technologies to pinpoint the developmental onset of transgene silencing and to comprehensively profile transgene-derived transcripts, combining these approaches with machine learning to reveal that aberrant RNAs generated by ribosome stalling can trigger RNA decay and silencing pathways.
I’ve previously investigated the roles of RNA modifications, RNA secondary structure and RNA-protein interactions on abiotic stress response in Arabidopsis and the function of long non-coding RNAs in development.
By integrating molecular biology, genomics, and computational approaches, her research seeks to uncover fundamental principles of post-transcriptional gene regulation with implications for plant growth, stress adaptation, and crop improvement.
An update list of Dr. Kramer’s publications can be . These include:
Pending Publication (Submitted, in revision, or accepted)
- Kramer MC, Ratnayake TS, Edwards SA, Lowrey HL, Klaas GA, Sidorenko L, Rowan BA, Michelmore R, Meyers BA, & Slotkin RK. (2025) Identification of a cleaved aberrant RNA associated with the initiation of transgene silencing. Accepted at The Plant Cell.
Research Articles (Peer-Reviewed)
- Alvarez Periel E*, Kramer MC*, Jackson D, Garcia BA, Gregory BD, & Jordan-Scuitto K. (2025) Global analysis of excitotoxicity-induced alterations in RNA structure and RNA-protein binding in neurons. iScience.
- Bélanger S, Kramer MC, Payne HA, Hui A, Slotkin RK, Meyers BC & Staub JM. (2023) Plastid double-stranded RNA transgenes trigger phased small RNA-based gene silencing of nuclear-encoded genes. Plant Cell. 2023 Jun 13.
- Kramer MC, Kim H, Palos K, Garcia BA, Lyons E, Beilstein MA, Nelson ADL, Gregory BD. (2022) A conserved long intergenic non-coding RNA containing snoRNA sequences, lncCOBRA1, affects Arabidopsis germination and development. Front Plant Sci. 2022 May 25;13:906603.
- Kramer MC, Janssen KA, Palos K, Nelson ADL, Vandivier LE, Garcia BA, Lyons E & Gregory BD. (2020) N6-methyladenosine and RNA secondary structure affect transcript stability and protein abundance during systemic salt stress in Arabidopsis. Plant Direct; 00:1-22.
- Anderson SJ, Kramer MC, Gosai SJ, Yu X, Vandivier LE, Nelson ADL, Anderson ZD, Beilstein MA, Fray RG, Lyons E, & Gregory BD. (2018) N6-methyladenosine inhibits local ribonucleolytic cleavage to stabilize mRNAs in Arabidopsis. Cell Rep. 25, 1146-1157.
Awards & Honors
- Postdoctoral Fellow, NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB) - 2023–2025
- Recipient of the Nell Mondy Graduate Women in Science National Fellowship - 2019
- Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program - 2016
- Summa Cum Laude, SUNY New Paltz - 2014
- SUNY New Paltz Outstanding Graduate of Biology Award - 2014
- EuroScholar, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland - 2013
Outreach
- Southmayd Elementary School Career Day, Houston, TX - Spring 2025
- Almeda Elementary School Career Day, Houston, TX - Spring 2024
- American Society for Plant Biology (ASPB) Plant Science Saturday, Savannah, GA - Summer 2023
- Danforth Center PlantTech Jam, St Louis, MO - Spring 2023
- Missouri Science Bowl, St Louis, MO - Spring 2022
- YMCA, St Louis, MO - Spring 2022
- Philadelphia Science Festival, Philadelphia, PA - Spring 2019–20
- Spark Foundation, Philadelphia, PA - Spring 2019–20