The tiny, self-contained genetic system of the chloroplast (or plastid) in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is well suited for genetic engineering and has recently seen a surge in the deployment of synthetic biology approaches.

In my talk, I’d like to introduce two of my postdoctoral studies where I explored the independent expression of two genes in tobacco: Rubisco activase (RCA) and a spider silk gene, Major ampullate spidroin 1 (MaSp1).

Talk followed by panel discussion about future directions in Plant Science.

Malaria is a devastating disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite. Due to the threat of emerging drug resistance, the current arsenal of clinically used artemisinin combination therapies and drug candidates undergoing clinical assessment may not be sufficient in eliminating the disease.

In chloroplasts of embryophytes, superwobbling between codons and anticodons has been demonstrated to facilitate translation of the standard genetic code by a minimized set of only 30 tRNAs (Rogalski et al., 2008).

Homeostasis of the extracellular matrix is critical for correct organ and tissue function. Both the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the matrix contribute to modulating the behaviour of resident cells and are more than just passive bystanders.

The timing of flowering needs to be tightly controlled to maximize reproductive success. Plants perceive seasonal cues (e.g., day length and temperature) to adjust the timing of flowering.

As climate change and land transformation advance into the future, more and more species will be unable to keep up with the rate of change imposed by human activity.

How can we tell engaging stories about complex biological processes that are invisible to the naked eye?
Scientists utilise a variety of techniques to investigate and visualise membrane receptors (gatekeepers of information) that transfer signals across membranes.