Unraveling the genetic and molecular basis behind cellular development, particularly using plants as a model to study

Rising global temperatures are predicted to have a major impact on crop productivity and global Food Security. One solution to this problem is to generate crops that show increased thermotolerance. To address this need, the student will investigate the impact of increased night-time temperature on plant development and physiology and how this affects yield. Utilising plant species including Arabidopsis and rice, a range of molecular and physiology tools will be used to investigate the impact of changes in night-time temperature. Research has demonstrated that photoreceptors (light-perceiving receptors) have a major role to play in plant temperature signaling and the project will utilise a range of genetic resources to test their role in night-time temperature responses. The goal is to generate new plant varieties with improved performance. The project will provide in depth training in molecular and physiology techniques and is an exciting opportunity to advance our knowledge of crop-environmental interactions and generate new solutions.