Matthew Dwyer: Plant Physiology First Author

Matthew Dwyer, first author of “Light-dependent phosphorylation of THRUMIN1 regulates its association with actin filaments and 14-3-3 proteins”

Current Position: Postdoctoral position in the Kerfeld Lab at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (Starting in September)

Education: B.S. in Biology, Lebanon Valley College, PA, USA; Ph.D. in Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.

Non-scientific Interests: Swimming and singing

Brief bio: I have always been fascinated by the role of plants in nature. Many people assume plants are not doing that much since they don’t move, but they are quite responsive to everything around them. My Ph.D. research was centered around the molecular mechanism of light-dependent chloroplast movements working with Dr. Roger Hangarter at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Plants reposition chloroplasts in response to changes in light intensities to optimize photosynthetic potential and reduce photodamage to the chloroplast. Plant biology will continue to play a critical role for our future in food security, but I’m also in awe of the fundamental mechanisms underlying plant function.