Research Projects

Research Project II: 

Designing a Comprehensive De Novo Indirect Organogenesis Protocol for In Vitro Adventitious Shoot Regeneration of Vitis vinifera

Regeneration of adventitious shoots/organogenesis is the means by which many transgenic plants are produced from the complex process of somatic embryogenesis from the transformed cells or tissues to develop GM crops. Many scientists have been working and successfully regenerating the adventitious shoots or somatic embryos from the explants. Forest trees, flowers, vegetables, cereals, fruits, etc. have been successfully used for the production of disease-free saplings (especially virus-free), rapid multiplication, and to regenerating of somatic embryos. 

In this research project, the protocol will be developed to regenerate adventitious shoots from in situ harvested and in-vitro-grown vitis vinifera explants. The 2 current types of protocols for Vitis vinifera genetic modification are somatic embryogenesis and de novo organogenesis, with the key differentiating factor being the fact that in embryogenesis, non-embryogenic somatic cells are de-differentiated into totipotent embryos which form entirely new plantlets, versus in organogenesis, non-meristematic somatic cells are dedifferentiated into pluripotent meristematic cells, and these meristematic cells are re-differentiated into specific organs including shoots and roots. This project aims to produce improved adventitious shoot regeneration success from past studies. Future work may expand to investigate adventitous regeneration other dicot varieties.

Research Project III: 

Synthetic Seed Production: Optimizing Techniques, Improving Viability, and Exploring Novel Applications for Sustainable Crop Improvement

Synthetic seeds are artificially encapsulated structures that contain embryonic plant tissues, such as shoot tips, somatic embryos, or other explants, embedded in an artificial encapsulation matrix. These structures mimic real seeds but are created via in vitro tissue culture techniques. Synthetic seeds offer several advantages and have importance in various areas of plant science and agriculture. Their importance extends across various fields and contributing to advancements in agriculture, horticulture, and biodiversity conservation. Here are some key aspects of synthetic seeds and their importance:

Advantages of Synthetic Seeds:

·        Conservation of genetic resources

·        Quick seed production

·        Micropropagation and mass cloning

·        Uniform plant material

·        Storage and transportation

·        Disease free materials

·        No land is need for seed production

·        Most of the time vegetative propagation

·        Reduced space requirements for storage

·        Germplasm exchange

·        Enhanced crop improvement

·        Preservation of elite genotypes

·        Cost-effective propagation in long run

·        Recovery of recalcitrant species

·        Facilitation of biotechnological applications

Research Project IV

Utilization of Semi-permeable Cyanobacteria Beads in Fostering Symbiosis for Biofuel Production

Researchers have increasingly studied carbon neutral methods of energy production over the past decades to mitigate the effects of climate change. Given this, biofuels, specifically from cyanobacteria, have become a notable option because of their lesser impact on carbon levels. Cyanobacteria can be cultivated with significantly less resources, including time and land, compared to typical energy crops from which most biofuels are derived. This study investigates Arthrospira Platensis, a genus valuable for its versatility and suitable for its high availability in today’s market. In the past, our lab’s studies have explored the symbioses of Arthrospira Platensis and other cyanobacteria species, specifically Anabaena and Nostoc species, to increase biomass inexpensively, increasing this biofuel’s economic viability. These secondary species were selected to accompany the target species due to their unique abilities, like nitrogen fixation, that allow them to form beneficial associations with other organisms in their natural habitats. Our lab’s past findings have established that the co-culturing of these species with Arthrospira Platensis decreases the possibilities of invasive species’ growth. As the growth of invasive species causes harmful conglomeration of cells, Anabaena and Nostoc increase Arthrospira Platensis biomass through reducing contamination. These studies explored direct symbiosis, which allowed for physical combination of the co-cultured species. However, this combination not only limited measurements taken, as the species could not be isolated, but also limited the applicability of the biomass to large-scale biofuel production. Thus, this following study explores the use of sodium alginate beads to separate the species in co-culture while preserving the observed benefits of the symbiotic relationship. It is predicted that, as the beads’ membranes are highly permeable, compounds such as ammonia, oxygen, and toxins would pass through, while each species’ cells would remain separate. In this way, the co-culturing of Arthrospira Platensis with the two other symbiotic species Anabaena and Nostoc would promote Arthrospira Platensis growth while resolving the field’s issues in measurability and multi-field application.