Sina Fischer: Plant Physiology First Author

Sina Fischer, first author of “Transcriptional network underpinning ploidy-related elevated leaf potassium in neo-tetraploids”

Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Nottingham, UK

Education: PhD in molecular Biology, University of Bayreuth, Germany

Non-scientific Interests: Cycling and horse riding

Brief bio:

From a background of genetics and plant physiology, I developed an interest in the plant ionome during my PhD in Bayreuth (Germany). There I studied natural variation in heavy metal tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. During the course of my studies, I developed an assay system for lead toxicity (Fischer et al. 2014), assessed Cd-tolerance through QTL mapping (Fischer et al. 2017), performed Bulk-Segregant Analysis to determine the genetic cause for Mn-tolerance and studied lead-tolerance through GWAS (Genome Wide Association Studies). I continued my investigations in plant ionome when I joined David Salts lab in 2015 with focus on potassium homeostasis in neo-tetraploid A. thaliana. Since then, I have broadened my research scope to understand the molecular basis for physiological differences in Arabidopsis thaliana neo-tetraploids. RNAseq analysis have led me to focus on abiotic stress and ABA signalling as well as changes in low-potassium responses. In the future I am interested in translating the knowledge gained in A. thaliana to barley and rice.