About me

I have a keen background in molecular biology and plant biology. I think it’s fascinating to uncover the molecular basis of how plant’s grow and development as well as how we can utilise this understanding to benefit agriculture or horticulture. As someone with experience in working with GM plant species, this project really appealed to me as it sees how we can re-engineer the architecture of plants in response to gravity through genetic and molecular means.

My Project

My project is aimed at understanding the molecular basis of plant growth and architecture. In particular, how plants grow and development in relation to gravity. For instance, how plants are capable of sensing gravity, transducing that gravitational signal into a biochemical signal leading to regulated plant growth. This biochemical pathway has only elucidated quite recently and key detail is still missing. For instance, the plant phytohormone auxin is transported across plant organs in a polar fashion in response to gravistimulation. Polar auxin flux is established and maintained through the auxin efflux transporter PIN-formed channels (PINs). However, the localisation of PINs through dynamic phosphorylation within gravi-sensing cells still requires further research which I aim to address in my project.

Connect

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alex-king-a70b88238