Metabolic Profiling and Imaging Metabolism in Wheat

Supervisors: Professor Andrew J Fleming and Professor Mike Burrell

Seeds are the basis of the major crops used to feed the world. To facilitate more rapid selection and breeding of desirable traits there is a need for the development of novel, high-throughput technologies to allow the identification of metabolic markers. Moreover, by deciphering the spatial/temporal changes of metabolism that accompany development, we can gain an insight into the downstream outputs of developmental regulators that govern seed development and, thus, obtain a greater understanding of the underpinning biology.

The aim of this project is to develop a MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSi) method to screen wheat seed for quality traits. MALDI-MSi with the latest generation of mass spectrometers has the potential to screen enough seed rapidly (1000s/day) for the technique to be used in plant breeding. The technique provides information on the amount and distribution of 100s of compounds simultaneously, leading to novel hypotheses on the underlying biochemistry which leads to such patterns.

The student, who will preferably have a background in biochemistry and an interest in plant development, will form part of a group in Sheffield utilising metabolomic approaches to understand fundamental aspects of plant biology. The student will liaise closely with our CASE partner (a leading company in the development of mass spectrometers) and will gain the opportunity of training in the company during the studentship. In addition, further training in all aspects of the project will be provided with access to state-of-the-art infrastructure in an RAE2008 top-rated biology department.

The studentship is for 48 months and is open to UK citizens, according to BBSRC guidelines

Interested?
Contact: a.fleming@sheffield.ac.uk, m.burrell@sheffield.ac.uk
or apply directly online at www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply