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Mentor Areas

I am broadly interested plant developmental genetics, but work specifically on the molecular mechanism of shoot maturation in plants, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of this phenomenon.

Description:

The transition from juvenile to adult growth in plants is regulated by a change in the level of the miRNAs, miR156 and miR172.  We are interested in the mechanism by which this miRNA regulates the expression of its targets, and the basis for natural variation in its expression pattern in the model genetic system, Arabidopsis thaliana.  Students will assist a graduate student or a post-doctoral fellow in generating and analyzing the phenotypes of mutants and natural accessions with altered levels of miR156. Opportunities to learn basic techniques in molecular biology will be available.

Preferred Qualifications

Ideally, students will have taken an introductory Biology class, and several 200-level classes, particularly Biology 221 (Genetics and Molecular Biology).  

Project Website

Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here.
https://www.bio.upenn.edu/people/scott-poethig

Details:

Preferred Student Year

Junior, Senior, Second-Year

Academic Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).

Volunteer

No

Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.

Paid

No

Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.

Work Study

Yes

Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.

Researcher


John B. and Margaret H. Fassitt Endowed Professor