Kiss, John
John Z. Kiss
Professor | Biomedical Engineering and Science
Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs | L3Harris Professor
Contact Information
Personal Overview
John Z. Kiss is a plant space biologist. He has served as a Principal Investigator on eight spaceflight projects that have involved NASA as well as the European Space Agency and Roscosmos. His recent research focuses on how gravity and light responses influence each other in plants in order to better understand the cellular signaling mechanisms involved in plant tropisms—directed plant movements in response to external stimuli. His group also is interested in the role of red light as an environmental cue capable of counteracting the adverse effects of the lack of a gravity vector during spaceflight on plant growth and development. Learning how plants adapt to weightlessness and low-gravity environments is important for determining the ability of vegetation to provide a complete, sustainable, dependable and economical means for human life support in space. The ability of plants to provide a source of food and to recycle carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen may prove critical for astronauts who will live in space for months at a time. In addition, in the long term, this new knowledge of how plants grow and develop at a molecular level should lead to significant advances in agriculture on Earth.
Educational Background
Post-doctoral Fellow, Space Biology, Ohio State University
Ph.D. Botany & Plant Physiology, Rutgers University
B.S. Biology & History, Georgetown University
Selected Publications
Hughes A.M., J.P. Vandenbrink J.Z. Kiss. 2023. Efficacy of the Random Positioning Machine as a terrestrial analogue to microgravity in studies of seedling phototropism. Microgravity Science and Technology 35:43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-023-10066-9
Bowman R.N., C.P. McKay, J.Z. Kiss. 2022. Design of spaceflight hardware for plant growth in a sealed habitat for experiments on the Moon. Gravitational and Space Research 10:37-44 https://doi.org/10.2478/gsr-2022-0005
Hughes A.M., J.Z. Kiss. 2022. -Omics studies of plant biology in spaceflight: A critical review of recent experiments. Frontiers in Astronomy & Space Sciences https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2022.964657
Shymanovich T., J.P. Vandenbrink, R. Herranz, F.J. Medina, J.Z. Kiss. 2022. Spaceflight studies identify a gene encoding an intermediate filament involved in tropism pathways. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 171:191-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.12.039
Medina F.J., A. Manzano, R. Herranz, J.Z. Kiss. 2022. Red light enhances plant adaptation to
spaceflight and Mars g-Levels. Life 12:1484. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12101484
Shymanovich T., J.Z. Kiss. 2022. Conducting plant experiments in space and on the Moon. Methods in Molecular Biology 2368:165-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1677-2_12
Aronne G., L.W.F. Muthert, L.G. Izzo, L.E. Romano, M. Iovane, F. Capozzi, A. Manzano, M. Ciska, R. Herranz, F.J Medina, J.Z. Kiss, J. J.W.A. van Loon. 2022. A novel device to study altered gravity and light interactions in seedling tropisms. Life Sciences in Space Research 32: 8-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lssr.2021.09.005
Villacampa J., M. Ciska, A. Manzano, J.P. Vandenbrink, J.Z. Kiss, R. Herranz, F.J. Medina. 2021. From spaceflight to Mars g-levels: Adaptive response of A. thaliana seedlings in a reduced gravity environment is enhanced by red light photostimulation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22:899. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020899
Manzano A., A. Villacampa, J. Sáez-Vásquez, J.Z. Kiss, F.J. Medina, R. Herranz. 2020. The importance of Earth reference controls in spaceflight –omics research: Characterization of nucleolin mutants from the Seedling Growth experiments. iScience 23 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.101686
Shymanovich T., J.Z. Kiss. 2020. Growth and development of ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana: Preliminary experiments to prepare for a Moon lander mission. Gravitational and Space Research 8: 18-24 https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/gsr/8/1/article-p18.xml
Kiss J.Z., S.C. Wolverton, S.E. Wyatt, K.H. Hasenstein, J.J.W.A. van Loon. 2019. Comparison of microgravity analogs to spaceflight in studies of plant growth and development. Frontiers in Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01577
Herranz R., J.P. Vandenbrink, A. Villacampa, A. Manzano, W. Poehlman, F.A. Feltus, J.Z. Kiss, F.J. Medina. 2019. RNAseq analysis of the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to fractional gravity under blue-light stimulation during spaceflight. Frontiers in Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01529
Vandenbrink J.P., R. Herranz, W. Poehlman, F.A. Feltus, A. Villacampa, M. Ciska, F.J. Medina, J.Z. Kiss. 2019. RNAseq analyses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings after exposure to blue-light phototropic stimuli in microgravity. American Journal of Botany 106: 1466–1476
Lionheart G., J.P. Vandenbrink, J.D. Hoeksema, J.Z. Kiss. 2018. The impact of simulated microgravity on the growth of different genotypes of the model plant Medicago truncatula. Microgravity Science and Technology 30: 491–502
Johnson C.M., A. Subramaniana, S. Pattathil, M.J. Correll, J.Z. Kiss. 2017. Comparative transcriptomics indicate changes in cell wall organization and stress response in seedlings during spaceflight. American Journal of Botany 104: 1219-1231.
Vandenbrink J.P., R. Herranz, F.J. Medina, R.E. Edelmann, J.Z. Kiss. 2016. A novel blue-light phototropic response is revealed in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana in microgravity. Planta 244:1201–1215
Vandenbrink J.P., J.Z. Kiss. 2016. Space, the final frontier: a critical review of recent experiments performed in microgravity. Plant Science 243:115–119.
Johnson C.M., A. Subramaniana, R.E. Edelmann, J.Z. Kiss. 2015. Morphometric analyses of petioles of seedlings grown in a spaceflight experiment. Journal of Plant Research 128:1007–1016
Kiss J.Z. 2014. Plant biology in reduced gravity on the Moon and Mars. Plant Biology 16(S1):12-17
Recognition & Awards
2021 International Cooperation Medal, COSPAR (International Committee for Space Research). This medal is awarded to a scientist who has made distinguished contributions to space science and whose work has contributed significantly to the promotion of international scientific cooperation. The IAU has named an asteroid for John Z. Kiss (#8267 Kiss;1986 TX3) https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=8267
2020 ASGSR Fellow, American Society for Gravitational & Space Research. In recognition of distinguished scientific and social contributions to the advancement of gravitational & space research in the fields of life and physical sciences in areas of research, education, mentoring, outreach, and professional & public service.
2019 NASA Group Achievement Award for serving as PI on the Seedling Growth series of spaceflight experiments. Specifically for: “outstanding contributions to enabling exploration, collaborating with ESA, to complete a series of three plant biology payloads on the ISS.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington DC.
2019 Donald R. Kaplan Memorial Lecture Award, Botanical Society of America. Presented to a “leading scholar” in botanical sciences for giving a broad-based seminar on their career research achievements at the annual meetings of the Society.
2017 Founder’s Award, American Society for Gravitational & Space Research. This award is the highest honor given by the Society for lifelong contributions. It is made to a member of the Society for distinguished scientific contributions to and leadership in the field of gravitational & space research.
2014 NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal “for exceptional contributions in spaceflight research in the fundamental biology of plants in support of NASA’s exploration mission.” This medal is awarded for sustained leadership and exceptionally high-impact leadership achievements. As one of NASA's most prestigious medals, leadership excellence was demonstrated in: (1) Achieving Results; (2) Role Model; (3) Leading People; (4) Influencing Change.
2012 Benjamin Harrison Medallion (named for the 1852 Miami graduate who was U.S. President). This highest award to a faculty member recognizes outstanding national contributions to education and other international recognition beyond his field. Miami University.