Mechanism of heterocyst spacing in cyanobacteria
Towards a complete molecular and genetic understanding of what is arguably nature's simplest example of multicellular pattern formation

Relationship between cyanobacteria and wheat
Understanding and exploiting an association between a nitrogen-fixing bacterium and a plant of great agronomic importance

Hormonal signal transduction in plants
Elucidation of the signal transduction pathway connecting the sensation of hormone by the plant and its ultimate effect on gene expression

Identification of origins of DNA replication by sequence and biological function
Development of computer algorithms to search sequenced bacterial genomes and to identify regions with characteristics of origins of DNA replication; testing the function of such regions in vivo