Expanding the range of barley gene editing tools

Do you want to become expert in plant gene editing (GE) and develop the newest range of climate ready crops? GE or precision breeding is a remarkable new tool that is fundamentally different from established conventional breeding and GM methods. Gene-editing edits the target gene directly and precisely within the genome of an elite crop line with no additional genetic material and no increase in gene number. A better understanding of gene editing tools is vitally important to support production of cereal yield, with fewer inputs in the face of a changing climate. This is a 4-year studentship that will allow you to explore and develop cutting-edge GE methods with the opportunity to adapt and develop your own methods of creating new edited changes. Changes will be made in barley that is relevant worldwide to food and drink security. GE is usually used to induce a gene mutation that knocks out the function of the targeted gene with the associated crop benefit. The aim of your studentship will be to select important gene targets, develop different GE methods and develop different methods of delivering the GE machinery to the plant cell allowing for the potential of GE to be fully realised. We have established genomic and transcriptomic datasets that will help select important gene targets. A strong background in molecular biology will help but we have people and facilities at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee that will allow you to develop your skills and identify new novel gene targets.