Plant Physiology
As primary producers of all ecosystems, plants drive our biosphere while contributing to human industrial innovations. As sessile organisms, plants require a considerable capacity to adapt to both abiotic and biotic stress factors. As photosynthetic organisms, some enter interactions with other organisms (e.g. symbioses, mutualisms) where they supply partners with carbon sources in exchange or other relevant nutrients. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the responses of plants, to their environment is of fundamental importance. Here, at the department of ecology, environment and plant sciences, we examine how plants function at different levels of organization and scales; from molecules to ecosystems, and through time: now and during evolution.
Here you will find all the advanced courses we offer in Plant Physiology
Plant Physiology is a direction in Biology MSc programme: Stockholm University Plant Ecophysiology Research (SUPER).
Mats Björk
Research focus:
Leader of the Seagrass Ecology & Physiology Research Group, with a main focus on marine plants, their photosynthesis, carbon sequestration (Blue Carbon), Green House Gas emissions, and ecosystem services in both tropical and temperate environments, and how they are affected by environmental change such as pollution and ocean acidification.
Methodology:
Various techniques for measuring in situ productivity in coastal waters, such as different Pulse Amplitude Modulated chlorophyll fluorescence methods. Sensors for e.g. oxygen, pH light etc. Also analyses of seawater chemistry and emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CH4 and N2O.
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Rachel A Foster
Research focus:
Planktonic symbioses between prokaryotic bacteria and eukaryotic algae; Diversity, distribution and activity of free-living and symbiotic N2 fixing cyanobacteria
Photo physiology and cell biology of cyanobacteria: marine and brackish water strains.
Biogeochemistry of Marine Carbon and Nitrogen cycles.
Methodology:
Stable isotope probing and nanoSIMS; mass spectrometry; gene expression and genome biology; single cell method development; heterologous expression; quantitative PCR assays; algae cultivation and isolation; phylogenetic analysis for co-evolution studies.
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Maria Greger
Research focus:
Leader of the Plant metal group, which focuses on:
Phytoremediation and Plant toxicology/ecotoxicology
Remediation of heavy metals, arsenic, PFAS, PCB etc.
Heavy metal and arsenic content in food crops
Silicon as plant nutrient element.
Silica decreases heavy metals in plants.
Silica nanoparticle uptake into plants
Methodology:
Analysis of element and element speciation, plant uptake in to tissue and on the cellular level, soil-plant interaction studies e.g. root exudate with rhizoboxes, rhizosphere concentration of elements and various soil fractions, plant-water interactions.
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Katharina Pawlowski
Research focus:
Systems biology (nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbioses)
Developmental biology (nodule development in different symbiotic systems)
Evolution (of root nodule symbioses)
Methodology:
Molecular biology, genetic engineering (hairy root transformation), cytology (advanced imagine), metabolism (enzyme activities and metabolite analyses), molecular phylogeny, microbiology
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Edouard Pesquet
Research focus:
Cell biology (plant cytoskeleton and organelles structure and function during cell function and differentiation)
Developmental biology (development of plant vascular system in response to endogenous and environmental factors)
Omics and system biology (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, fluxomics, interactomics during plant cell differentiation)
Methodology:
Advanced imaging (confocal, microspectroscopy), genetic engineering (CRISPR/Cas9, insertional mutagenesis, genetic complementation and transgenesis), protein biochemistry (proteomics, enzymatic assay, protein complexes), in vitro plant and cell culture, metabolism (LC/MS based analysis of metabolites, pulse chase tracking, flux analysis)
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Sara Rydberg
Research focus:
The main research focuses on source, function, and cumulative effects of the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). Marine biology, food web, phytoplankton interactions.
Methodology:
The methodology used is foremost liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based metabolomics. Sensors for light, pH, etc. Analyses of seawater chemistry. Imaging.
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Last updated: September 14, 2022
Source: Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences