Mathew Lemke

MCB Program Start:

2020

Undergrad:

BS, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, 2019

Twitter Account: 

@m_lemke1

LinkedIn Account:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/MatthewLemke2/

Research Advisor and Department:                                     

Dr. Jesse Woodson, Woodson Lab in the School of Plant Sciences.

Research Topic:                                                                            

Plants have evolved complex signaling mechanisms that allow them to sense and respond to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during abiotic stresses.
In particular, chloroplasts naturally generate large amounts of ROS, including singlet oxygen (1O2), during photosynthesis.
This localized 1O2 can damage the chloroplast and can trigger quality control systems that lead to selective chloroplast degradation.
This raises an intriguing question; How do plants sense chloroplast dysfunction and selectively degrade damaged chloroplasts to sustain healthy chloroplast populations?
To answer this question, I am using a forward genetic approach to identify genes and pathways involved in 1O2-mediated chloroplast quality control and selective chloroplast degradation. 

Hobbies 

Nature photography, hiking and travel

Guiding Principle:

Keep moving forward!