Perhaps the defining aspect of plant development is its plasticity. To be able to respond to changing environmental conditions and biotic stresses, plants maintain continuous pools of stem cells (known as meristems) that produce new organs throughout a plant’s lifecycle. A longstanding question in the field is how developmentally isolated are these meristems? Do they function autonomously, or are they dependent on mobile signalling from elsewhere in the plant? To address this question, this project will use a cutting-edge cell-biology technique (iCalsm) to block intercellular communication between meristems and surrounding cells in phylogenetically divergent land plants. As part of this project, the student will develop fundamental skills in molecular biology (cloning, genotyping, qPCR) and a foundational toolkit in plant development (Arabidopsis and moss growth, histology, gene expression analyses).
Project goals:
- To develop the genetic tools required to block intercellular communication
- To identify how important signalling is from leaves to the meristem in flowering plants
- To determine whether mobile signalling is conserved in land plants
Making an application
When applying for the Lady Emily Smyth MSc by Research Projects in the School of Biological Sciences please choose 'Biological Sciences (MSc) (R)' from the Programme Choice drop down menu (see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/bcai/lady-emily-smyth-studentships/ for other Schools offering projects under this Studentship). You will need to make a separate application for each project.
UK students are eligible to apply for this award using the University of Bristol's postgraduate application form. Students should indicate their preferred supervisor and that they wish to be considered for the Lady Emily Smyth MScR Studentship. The closing date for applications is 31st January 2022.
Applications by email will not be considered. Please apply online following the above link.
Continue with Facebook
