Phd - BBSRC White Rose DTP- The Mechanism of Stomatal Function

Stomata consist of pairs of guard cells which change their shape as a result of altered internal pressure, leading to the opening/closing of pores to allow gas exchange essential for plant life. The dynamics of this shape change depend upon mechanical interaction of the guard cells with the surrounding epidermis, however most work in this area has focussed on guard cells, ignoring the adjacent cells. The overall aim of the project is to investigate the role of the epidermis in setting the mechanics of stomatal opening/closure.
You will: characterise epidermal support cells to identify genes encoding cell wall modifying proteins expressed in these cells; create transgenic plants in which expression of these genes is altered to modulate support cell mechanics; investigate the outcome of altered support cell mechanics on stomatal function and its consequence for plant water use efficiency. Using this knowledge, is it possible to engineer stomatal complexes to improve plant performance under future climate conditions of elevated carbon dioxide and restricted water availability?
The project brings together molecular genetics, mechanics and physiology in the investigation of a specialised plant cell type. It is timely and novel, building on recent advances made by our group (Amsbury et al. 2016 Current Biology, in press). You will gain knowledge from three different research areas (stomatal biology, cell wall structure/function and mechanics), providing an excellent PhD training opportunity in an interdisciplinary project.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in plant molecular, cell and developmental biology, preferably combined with an interest in plant cell walls and mechanics. Sheffield provides an outstanding environment for research (ranked in top 5 for Biological Sciences in REF2014), with one of the largest and most vibrant university-based plant science research communities in the UK. You will join a group working on various aspects of leaf/stomata structure/function with a supervisory team consisting of Andrew Fleming and Julie Gray. We have a strong track record of PhD publication in this area (Plant Physiology (2016) 170: 1655-1674; Development (2016) 143: 3306-3314; Current Biology (2016) in press) and seek an excellent student to join our team.
See our lab pages for an overview of what we do:
http://fleminglab.group.shef.ac.uk/
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mbb/2.2240/2.2280/jeg-labpages
For further information, contact Andrew Fleming (a.fleming@sheffield.ac.uk) or Julie Gray (j.e.gray@sheffield.ac.uk)

Funding Notes

This PhD project has been approved for funding by the BBSRC-White Rose Doctoral Training Program on “Mechanistic Biology” and is available now. It is a 4 yr PhD studentship with full funding for UK students and those who fulfill residency requirements, with part-funding possible for other EU nationals. The DTP provides a range of excellent training activities, as well as the opportunity for placements during the PhD (http://www.whiterose-mechanisticbiology-dtp.ac.uk/). Candidates will be invited for interview on a rolling basis until the position is filled.