Prof. Ru Zhang
- Please tell us about yourself and your research/institution.
I am an Associate Member and Principal Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. My lab studies how photosynthetic cells respond to abiotic stresses, especially high temperatures, by using both green algae (mainly Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) and land plants (mainly Setaria viridis) as models. Global warming increases the frequency, intensity, and duration of high temperatures, which impair plant growth and reduce crop yield. To engineer crops with improved thermotolerance, it is imperative to understand how photosynthetic cells sense and respond to high temperatures. Many pathways in plants can be affected by high temperatures, and we focus on photosynthesis, a key driver for plant growth and food production but one of the most heat-sensitive functions in plants.
During my PhD training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I worked with Dr. Thomas Sharkey studying the effects of high temperature on photosynthesis in leaves of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. During my postdoctoral training with Dr. Martin Jonikas and Dr. Arthur Grossman at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, I continued to investigate photosynthesis by developing high-throughput genotyping and quantitative phenotyping tools in the eukaryotic, unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to identify photosynthesis-deficient algal mutants on a genome-wide scale. In October 2016, I started my own lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a nonprofit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research, education and outreach aim to have an impact at the nexus of food security and the environment, and position the St. Louis region as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants from many sources, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, the Gates Foundation and through the support of individuals and corporations. Learn more at danforthcenter.org.
- What motivated you to get into plant science?
I feel very happy when I am around plants, starting at a young age. As an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Ningning Wang’s lab at Nankai University in China, I participated in the generation of transgenic micro tomatoes with improved nitrogen uptake efficiency. I loved the smell of tomatoes and all of the green colors in our plant growth room. To me, taking care of my plants was like taking care of my babies. I called the plants I grew my “tomato babies”. It was fascinating to see my transgenic micro tomato plants having improved resistance to low nitrogen. Pursuing plant science quickly became a clear path for me.
- How have you used (Agrisera) antibodies in your research?
We use Agrisera antibodies frequently, mostly proteins involved in photosynthesis or chloroplast biology.
- Any further comments?
Agrisera is not only a great company that produces high quality antibodies but also closely integrates into the plant science communities. My office has several photosynthesis-related graphs supported by Agrisera. Dr. Joanna Porankiewicz-Asplund is outstanding and patient in answering many questions from us about western troubleshooting and Agrisera antibodies. Joanna also led a great online workshop about western at our institution. Thanks a lot, Joanna! Agrisera, Happy 40th Anniversary!
Links
• Prof. Ru Zhang
• Zhang lab at Danforth
• Agrisera antibodies to proteins involved in environmental stress response
• Agrisera Photosynthesis Antibodies