Plants for Planet : Engineering plant resilience through systems and synthetic biology
Our research aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms of plant-environment interactions and harness this knowledge to engineer plants with enhanced resilience. By integrating systems biology and synthetic biology, we investigate how plants respond to environmental stresses, particularly high temperatures, and how microbial-derived chemicals can influence plant growth and development. Our ultimate goal is to develop climate-adaptive crops and sustainable bio-based innovations through a combination of large-scale omics datasets and chemical screening approaches.
Specific Aims
1. Deciphering Plant Adaptation to High-Temperature Stress through Systems Biology
Investigate root/shoot development, and water-nutrient uptake under high-temperature conditions.
Leverage multi-omics approaches (transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics) to decode molecular networks and identify key regulatory pathways regulating physiological changes under high temperature.
Uncover key genes and molecular components involved in temperature adaptation, providing targets for genetic engineering.
2. Engineering Root Architecture and using Microbial-Derived Chemicals
Conduct high-throughput chemical screening of microbial metabolites to identify compounds that mimic plant hormones or regulate stress responses.
Analyze how these compounds influence microbial community composition and function in the rhizosphere to understand plant-microbe interactions.
Utilize synthetic biology to engineer plants or microbial consortia for optimized root-microbe interactions and enhanced stress tolerance.