Maynooth University Department of Biology

Research in the Plant Biochemistry Lab focuses on the role of protein degradation mediated by the ubiquitin system in the regulation of developmental processes, as well as in the response of plants to pathogens.

For this work, we use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, but also crops such as barley and Brassica rapa (turnip), in combination with biochemical, molecular, genetic and genomics approaches. More specifically, we aim at understanding how the nature of the N-terminal residue of proteins affects their stability and participates to the regulation of plant-pathogen interactions. Another aspect of the work aims at gaining further insights into the role of protein degradation in the regulation of transcription and developmental processes in plants.

The Plant Biochemistry Lab is a member of the Virtual Irish Centre for Crop Improvement (VICCI). Additional details available at: http://vicci.ie/

 My primary teaching interests are plant biology and biochemistry. I believe that the development of critical thinking skills is perhaps the most far-reaching part of the curriculum, in that these skills will be necessary for the success of students in any future scientific (or professional) endeavor. I also encourage students to learn about the different experimental approaches that modern biology has to offer and not to focus solely on their favorite subjects. I strongly believe that this type of multi-disciplinary training is not only very important, but also vastly rewarding, because it allows addressing biological questions from different perspectives.