Project Description

The position will employ the power of systems biology to investigate metabolic pathways in photosynthetic organisms to engineer the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide and sunlight into valuable chemicals. The project entails utilizing the latest in molecular biology techniques such as CRISPR and RNAi to overexpress or downregulate key enzymatic steps in the synthesis of natural products. The candidate will combine analytical methods such as RNAseq, metabolomics and proteomics with bioinformatics and mathematical modeling, in addition to classical biochemistry and molecular biology to reach a mechanistic understanding of the regulation of metabolic pathways in plants. The candidate will obtain training in molecular biology techniques such as cloning, transformation, and protein purification in addition to professional development. A Ph.D. in biochemical or chemical engineering is preferred, but biochemistry is also suitable. The ideal candidate is a person with good collaboration and communication skills, who is able to work efficiently and independently. 

Start Date

May 2019

Postdoc Qualifications

A Ph.D. in biochemical or chemical engineering is preferred, but biochemistry is also suitable. The ideal candidate is a person with good collaboration and communication skills, who is able to work efficiently and independently. Preferably the candidate will have prior training in several of the following areas: analytical biochemistry, protein purification, mathematical modeling and plant transformation

Co-advisors

References

1. Emission of volatile organic compounds from petunia flowers is facilitated by an ABC transporter F Adebesin, JR Widhalm, B Boachon, F Lefèvre, B Pierman, JH Lynch, JA Morgan, N. Dudareva Science 356, 1386-1388, 2017

2. A 13C isotope labeling method for the measurement of lignin metabolic flux in Arabidopsis stems P Wang, L Guo, R Jaini, A Klempien, RM McCoy, JA Morgan, N Dudareva, C Chapple Plant Methods 14, 51, 2018

3. Dynamic modeling of subcellular phenylpropanoid metabolism in Arabidopsis lignifying cells L Guo, P Wang, R Jaini, N Dudareva, C Chapple, JA Morgan Metabolic engineering 49, 36-46, 2018

4. Targeted Metabolomics of the Phenylpropanoid Pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana using Reversed Phase Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry. R Jaini, P Wang, N Dudareva, C Chapple, JA Morgan Phytochemical Analysis 28, 267-276, 2017

5. A kinetic model describes metabolic response to perturbations and distribution of flux control in the benzenoid network of Petunia hybrida AM Colón, N Sengupta, D Rhodes, N Dudareva, J Morgan The Plant Journal 62, 64-76, 2010