Current Research:

Analysing a transcription factor based regulatory network around a promoter of senescence and stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Supervisors: Prof. Vicky Buchanan-Wollaston and Dr. Jay Moore

Leaf senescence is the final developmental stage of a plant leaf, whereby nutrients stored as photosynthetic machinery is broken down and recycled for continued growth of the plant as a whole. A major promoter of leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana has been seen to respond to multiple stress conditions such as Botrytis cinerea infection, salt-stress and hormone treatment. It is believed this gene activates senescence pathways during stress conditions as a survival mechanism by which the plant sacrifices the leaf to allow the plant to survive. Analysis of the role of this gene is critical to understanding how leaf senescence is incorporated into the wider stress response network that allows Arabidopsis to survive stress conditions.

This project uses a combination of high-throughput molecular biology, whole-genome transcriptomics and modeling to analyse the transcriptional regulatory network that controls the gene expression of this gene during multiple stress conditions, including Botrytis cinerea infection and age-induced senescence. Initial experiments indicate that differing mechanisms regulate this gene during alternative stress conditions, suggesting this gene acts as a 'link' between stress response signals.

Grants & Awards:

Travel grant awarded by the Vegetable Research Trust to attend a conference at Cold Spring Harbor entitled: 'Plant Genomes & Biotechnology: From Genes To Networks' in December 2013.

Education:

B.Sc. (Biochemistry) - University of Warwick 2011

Teaching experience:

Teaching assistant for undergraduate practical classes Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics.

Hobbies and interests:

Outside of work, I enjoy kayaking and canoe polo and can normally be found in the mountainous regions of the UK at weekends.

Contact Details:

a.talbot@warwick.ac.uk

School of Life Sciences

Gibbet Hill Campus

University of Warwick

Coventry

England

CV4 7AL

Funding body:

Research made possible due to EPSRC and PRESTA project.