Partner Groups

Partner Groups

Dr. Federico Roda (Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Alisdair Fernie

"Genetics and Evolution of Medicinal Compounds in Plants"

Federico Rodas group analyzes the genetic modifications of plants belonging to the family of nightshades (Solanaceae), which during evolution has allowed plants to make compounds to protect themselves against stress and attract pollinators. A special focus is on compounds that can be used in the medical field as active ingredients against cancer (ethnobotany).
For this purpose, they integrate molecular, ecological and ethnobotanical information of diverse plant species of the Neotropics (South America), which is considered as the center of origin of the family Solanaceae.

Contact:


Prof. Dr. Zhang Jiang (College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Ralph Bock

"Crop-protection by Plastid-mediated RNA Interference"

Prof. Zhang Jiang's research focuses on plastid-based resistance to diseases and pests, which is mediated via RNA interference. In addition, by combining genetic, biochemical and physiological methods, the function and gene expression of the plastids, as well as the influence of various environmental influences on these processes are analyzed.

Contact:

Website: http://zhanglaben.hubu.edu.cn/


Prof. Dr. Guo-Zhang Wu (School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Ralph Bock

"Organelle Function and Stress Responses"

By combining the resources and taking advantage of the benefits of SJTU and MPI-MP, the group of Prof Gou-Zhank Wu will work creatively with state-of-the-art technologies in the field of Organic Biology, Stress Biology and Biotechnology.
The following research topics will be pursued:
- The biogenesis of different plastids
- Retrograde signalling, photosynthesis
- Proteostasis and its regulation
- The functions of chloroplasts in the stress response of plants

Contact:

Website: http://www.agri.sjtu.edu.cn/Data/View/4810


Dr. Corina Fusari (Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos (CEFOBI-CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Mark Stitt

"Genetic architecture of complex traits in plants"

Dr. Fusari and her team are investigating the genetic regulation of physiological and metabolic traits in plants, specifically those related to stress response and impact on yield and fruit and seed quality. In particular, they study the process of flower and seed abortion and recovery of flowering, which occurs when plants are subjected to abiotic stress at the beginning of flowering. To achieve this, they use a state-of-art approach, combining genome-wide association mapping (GWAS), haplotypic diversity studies and analysis of mutant phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The final objective is to transfer the results to species of agronomic interest.

Contact:


Dr. Carlos María Figueroa (Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Mark Stitt

"Regulation of Carbon Metabolism"

Dr. Figueroa's group is investigating the regulatory mechanisms of the carbon distribution in plants that perform C4 photosynthesis, such as corn, sorghum and sugar cane. This is of crucial importance because the productivity of plants depends largely on their ability to transport carbon and energy into heterotrophic tissues. In the long term, the results of the scientists' work could be used to improve crops of agronomic interest, which is becoming relevant in the context of continuous growing world population and climate change.

Contact:


Nubia Barbosa Eloy (Ciências Biológicas, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ), São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil)

Partner Group of Prof. Dr. Lothar Willmitzer

"APC as an entry point to study the regulation of small molecules in the cell cycle"

The project of Dr. Nubia Barbosa Eloy aims to understand the role and function of the APC (Anaphase Promoting Complex) subunits in plants during the cell cycle. In the course of this project new proteins interacting with the APC core subunits will be identified and their biotechnological potential will be analyzed.

Contact:


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