Principal Investigator

Santosh Kumar Rana Magar, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor | Curator, Carl F. Chuey Herbarium

Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences

Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 44555, USA

Dr. Santosh is a plant molecular and evolutionary biologist whose research bridges taxonomy, ecology, genomics, and climate science to understand plant adaptation, speciation, and invasion dynamics. He currently leads the Rana Lab of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Youngstown State University, where he investigates the genetic and ecological processes that shape plant biodiversity in both native and introduced ecosystems.

Dr. Rana Magar earned his Ph.D. in Botany with specialization in plant molecular and evolutionary biology. His work spans multiple continents, from Himalayan alpine systems to grasslands and invasive species in the United States, integrating herbarium collections, field research, genomic sequencing, and computational modeling.

His ongoing research includes a USDA-funded collaborative project on the genomic invasion risk modeling of Saccharum spontaneum (wild sugarcane), in partnership with the USDA, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and Avalo. This work combines genotype–environment association analyses, ecological niche modeling, and ploidy estimation to predict invasion risk under current and future climate scenarios. He also leads population transcriptomic studies on cryptic speciation in Stellera chamaejasme, using RNA-seq to uncover the genetic basis of morph differentiation.

At Youngstown State University, Dr. Rana Magar’s future research program will focus on:

Genomics of wild sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum) invasion risk.
Genomic seed zones for climate-smart restoration in Ohio

Dr. Rana Magar has mentored students from undergraduate to Ph.D. level, given invited seminars internationally, and published across the fields of ecology, evolution, and conservation genomics. He is committed to fostering an inclusive, collaborative research environment and translating scientific findings into actionable conservation strategies.

Teaching

BIOL 3762 – Field Botany

BIOL 3762 – Field Botany provides students with a foundation in plant identification, morphology, and specimen preparation. The course emphasizes recognizing diagnostic traits and applying dichotomous keys to classify plants accurately, combining lecture-based instruction with practical, hands-on training.

Laboratory sessions (BIOL 3762L) extend beyond the classroom to include a weekly four-hour field visit in diverse plant habitats. These excursions introduce students to ecological methods such as quadrat sampling, plant collection, and herbarium pressing, giving them direct experience with plant diversity in natural settings. Collected specimens are processed into herbarium-quality vouchers, linking fieldwork with long-term scientific documentation.

The integration of field-based ecology and herbarium techniques provides students with skills applicable to biodiversity assessment, ecological monitoring, and conservation practice. By connecting plant morphology with the study of native and non-native species, the course highlights the broader significance of botany in understanding ecosystems and addressing challenges posed by invasive plants.