Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
I am currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Skidmore College. My current research takes place in the lab of Dr. Domozych studying the evolution of the cell wall in plants using the Zygnematophyte green algae, Penium margaritaceum, as a model organism. Penium displays many similarities to land plants, including the production of many cell wall components and belongs to the group of algae most closely related to land plants. Understanding the membrane trafficking network and secretion of cell wall materials in Penium may provide insights into how ancestors of these organisms were able to colonize land, and give rise to land plants. My research probes the secretory network of Penium using both cell biology, and chemical biology approaches. Research techniques include: light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, transmission election microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunocytochemistry, as well as other biochemical methodologies.