Recognizing Plant Direct authors: Anna Sergeeva

Anna Sergeeva, first author of Glycerolipid profile differences between perennial and annual stem zones in the perennial model plant Arabis alpina

Current Position: Postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Prof. Dr. Petra Bauer, Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany

Education: Ph.D., Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; M.Sc. in Plant Sciences and B.Sc. in Biology, Plant Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology, University of Bonn, Germany

Non-scientific Interests: art, theater, sports, traveling

Brief bio: I discovered my fascination for plant research already during my bachelor studies. While working on my bachelor’s thesis in the department of Prof. Dr. Dorothea Bartels, I could acquire and deepen my initial skills in molecular biology using the widely used model organism of plant research, Arabidopsis thaliana. The work group was interested in molecular mechanisms underlying plant desiccation tolerance. Here, in addition to A. thaliana, Craterostigma plantagineum served as the model species, as this plant is able to adapt to extremely dry habitats. Thus, the topic of my master’s thesis concerned specific mechanisms of C. plantagineum desiccation tolerance on protein level. Intrigued by mechanisms that confer plants the ability to adapt to diverse environmental conditions, I continued my studies as a Ph.D. student in the department of Prof. Dr. Petra Bauer. My work focused on elucidation of potential mechanisms that confer perennial characteristics to perennial model species Arabis alpina. A. alpina lives for several years and has to survive also during harsh environmental conditions. To elucidate such mechanisms, we combined microscopic and biochemical studies with a transcriptome analysis. Currently, I stay in Prof. Dr. Petra Bauer’s lab as a postdoctoral researcher where I continue my work with A. alpina.