Project
Oomycete cytoskeleton dynamics
Welcome to our lab, where we delve into the intriguing world of oomycetes and fungi! Despite their seemingly similar filamentous morphology, these fascinating organisms belong to distinct clades on the tree of life. While oomycetes find their relatives in brown algae and diatoms, fungi share a closer kinship with animals. These intriguing phylogenetic differences manifest at the molecular level, with a plethora of unique oomycete proteins not found in fungi, and vice versa.
Background
Our lab studies how cytoskeleton dynamics contribute to successful plant infection, a captivating area of study. As a student in our lab, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in cutting-edge research spanning molecular biology, biochemistry, microscopy, and protein modelling. Unravelling the secrets behind oomycete cytoskeleton dynamics promises to unlock novel insights into the virulence of these enigmatic organisms.
Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey at the forefront of scientific exploration? Step into the realm of molecular intricacies and contribute to discoveries that will provide insights for devising eco-friendly biocontrol strategies as alternatives to conventional agrochemicals.
Research aims
- Understand oomycete cell biology
- Decipher biomechanical aspects of infection
- Gain insights to generate anti-penetrant molecules
Examples of possible technique
The exact list depends on your project.
- Standard cloning techniques
- Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression
- Phytophthora transformation
- Protein production in a heterologous system
- Confocal microscopy, time-lapse imaging
- Data mining, scripting/programming
- Deep learning