Projects
A combined bioimaging analysis and complementary multi-'omics approach to map the genetic mechanism underlying plasmodesmata formation and regulation using fluorescent protein tagged-plasmodesmata lines of C3 and C4 crops.
Theme
- Membrane transporters and channels
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
Student intake
Open for Summer scholar, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Florence Danila, Supervisor
- William Yao, Support officer
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical in many facets of plant biology, where they mediate gene silencing processes by acting as sequence-specific guides of silencing complexes.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Evolutionary genetics and genomics
Fungi produce many biological active compounds. What are they and what do they do?
Theme
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Peter Solomon, Supervisor
- Peter Solomon, Researcher
This is a multi-national, multi university project, including CIMMYT in Mexico. Greater than 85-90% of the energy captured by plants is used in ‘futile cycles’ and high-cost cellular processes, such as transport of nutrients and respiration, meaning only 10-15% is allocated to yield.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
Strategies for efficiently engineering the small subunit of higher plant Rubisco are being developed.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
Listed below is an example of projects available in the Solomon Lab. Please contact Peter to discuss these further or other possibilities (note that the skills gained in the project are shown in brackets after the project)
Theme
- Plant-microbe interactions
- Phylogenetics, population genetics and biodiversity
- Evolutionary genetics and genomics
- Bioinformatics and bio-mathematical modelling
Student intake
Open for Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Peter Solomon, Supervisor
- Peter Solomon, Collaborator
Stomata function as hydraulic valves on the surface of leaves and regulate the fluxes of CO2 and water to and from the plant and determine how plants survive dry conditions.
Theme
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Susanne von Caemmerer, Supervisor
- Susanne von Caemmerer, Researcher
We constantly try to identify new proteins that are involved in plant immunity, and use molecular techniques to understand their interaction partners and how they work together. The sorts of proteins we are interested are pathogen receptors, components of signal transduction pathways that elaborate the immune response, and pathogen virulence molecules called effectors that seek to destroy immunity. We use cutting edge biochemical techniques including high resolution mass spectrometry to perform these studies. It is a fascinating area because the pathogens always seek to evolve new proteins to overcome host immunity, and the plants must change their receptors and use innovative mechanisms to trap the pathogens.
Theme
- Host-microbe biology
- Infection and immunity
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- John Rathjen, Supervisor
The goal of this project is to improve our understanding of the impacts of two key drivers of global climate change – rising temperatures and increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide ([CO2]) – on leaf respiration (Rd).
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
Student intake
Open for PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Eric Dusenge, Supervisor
- Owen Atkin, Principal investigator
This project investigates how stress-induced splice variants of nuclear-encoded genes lead to chloroplast-targeted protein isoforms with differential biochemical, structural and/or molecular properties. The impact of these changes on chloroplast function in response to environmental stress will be investigated.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Kai Chan, Supervisor
- Su Yin Phua , Support officer
We are studying interrelationships between salinity tolerance and the functional coordination of plant hydraulics, leaf morphology and gas exchange characteristics in mangroves.
Theme
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
Details of projects for Honours and PhD students are not advertised on this public website. However, a number of highly suitable projects are always available, so if you are interested in any area mentioned above please phone or email for a discussion on designing a challenging project that suits your interests.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
- Phylogenetics, population genetics and biodiversity
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Membrane transporters and channels
- Evolutionary genetics and genomics
- Bioinformatics and bio-mathematical modelling
A wide range of student opportunities are available in conjunction with our current research.
Theme
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Susanne von Caemmerer, Supervisor
Terrestrial photosynthesis forms an important part of the global carbon balance as sinks for atmospheric CO2. In agricultural systems, photosynthesis is a vital component of crop yield.
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Murray Badger, Researcher
- Spencer Whitney, Researcher
- Susanne von Caemmerer, Supervisor
We have recently shown that S. nodorum produces proteins (knownn as effectors) that have a significant role in causing disease.
Theme
- Plant-microbe interactions
- Bioinformatics and bio-mathematical modelling
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- Peter Solomon, Supervisor
This project uses a synthetic biology strategy to engineer disease resistance in crops to dangerous fungal pathogens.
Theme
- Host-microbe biology
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, Master, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- John Rathjen, Supervisor
- Simon Williams, Supervisor
This project uses in vitro protein evolution and a novel Rubisco-dependent-E. coli selection system to bioengineer mutant forms of RuBisCO with improvements in catalysis and holoenzyme biogenesis.
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
The molecular basis for plant susceptibility and immunity to Fusarium wilt disease
Theme
- Host-microbe biology
- Plant-microbe interactions
Student intake
Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students
Status
Current
People
- David Jones, Collaborator
- Simon Williams, Supervisor
Understanding the role and function of post translational protein modifications in chloroplasts using the model protein Rubisco.
Theme
- Photosynthesis and plant energy biology
- Plant environmental biology and functional ecology
From our interactome capture project we envision that we will isolate many proteins that we previously not known to bind RNA.
Theme
- Plant genetics and gene regulation