Overview
Nitrogen (N) is arguably the most important nutrient for plant growth; addition of Nitrogen (N) based fertilizer maximizes crop productivity and was largely the reason many countries achieved food security during the green revolution. Nevertheless, the United Nations Environmental Program in their report "Frontiers 2018/19: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern" declared Nitrogen overuse to be one of five emerging threats to the planet. N-fertilizers are produced by the Haber-Bosch process which require environmentally detrimental fossil fuels that are an added expense to farmers.
Our research seeks to find solutions that help mitigate problems of excess N-fertilizer use in agriculture while retaining all the benefits of Nitrogen availability for plant productivity. We use molecular genetics tools in the model legume Medicago truncatula to understand the process of biological Nitrogen Fixation wherein Legumes enter into relationships with symbiotic bacteria and 'fix' their own Nitrogen. We are interested in fundamental signaling pathways that underlie legume-microbe interactions and N-acquisition, particularly downstream of plant peptide hormones.
January 2024 - December 2024
2024
News
Timeline
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We've Been Upto in
23 / NSF-HHMI sponsored Root and Shoot planning retreat.
Nov 19 - Nov 22, 2024: Sonali participated in the NSF LEAPS Research Coordination Network grant-funded Root and Shoot Planning Meeting held at the HHMI Chevy Chase campus in Maryland, where she represented the IS-MPMI Society as a member of the steering committee. More information at https://rootandshoot.org/
Members from six different scientific societies met at the HHMI Chevy Chase campus as part of the NSF LEAPS Research Coordination Network
22 / NSF HBCU-UP sponsored undergraduate workshop at COA, TSU.
November 18, 2024: This workshop was designed to guide undergraduate students in applying for travel awards and summer internships, equipping them with the tips and tools necessary to secure these academic and professional development opportunities.
21 / Fantastic visit to our neighbours at UT Knoxville.
October 24, 2024: Honored to be the invited colloquium speaker at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Sonali presented research as part of their monthly colloquium series, sharing insights into legume-microbiome interactions and advances in peptide biology. Memorable opportunity to speak at Calhoun's on the River, with engaging conversations with faculty, researchers, and students.
20 / Happy to present our research to CIALE, Spain!
October 11, 2024: Privileged to give an early morning virtual talk to the CIALE (Institute of Sustainable Agriculture) in Spain. Starting at 5 a.m., Sonali discussed her research on legume-microbiome interactions and recent progress in peptide biology. This presentation provided an excellent opportunity to connect with an international audience!
19 / Welcome Miracle Walker!
September 20, 2024: Miracle is a junior Biology major and Psychology minor. She joins the lab as part of the prestigious McNair Scholarship program. She is also a Presidential Scholar, and serves as Junior Class Vice President in the Student Government at Tennessee State University.
18 / Congratulations on a successful defense Dr. Divya Jain!
September 18, 2024: Dr. Divya Jain (Hooray!) is the first PhD student graduating from the lab. She presented her talk titled "Uncovering the Role of Medicago truncatula Small Signaling Peptides during Nitrogen Deficiency and Root Nodule Symbiosis through Transcriptomic, Epigenomic, and Functional Genetic Approaches." which provided a detailed overview of her three research projects
Dr. Divya Jain defends her thesis successfully to her committee members and peer within the College of Agriculture.
17 / Welcome Janae Terrell!
August 28, 2024: Janae is a final year undergraduate student with a Biotechnology focus. She is working on her senior project with Dr. Rajni Parmar.
16 / The lab volunteered at the Tennessee State Fair!
August 18, 2024: Each year the Tennessee State Fair brings almost 1 million visitors over 10 days. This year it was held at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. On Sunday, the lab represented the TSU College of Agriculture at the 4H and FFA building and spoke to students, children, alumni and more about programs offered at the university and molecular biology and gene editing.
L-R: Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel (Associate Dean of Research), Sonali Roy, Shivani Dharam, Hyndavi Yammanaru, Rajni Parmar at the Tennessee State University Booth.
15 / Welcome Hyndavi Yammanaru, a new doctoral student in the lab.
August 8, 2024: Hyndavi joins us after completing her M.S in Agricultural Biotechnology from West Virginia State University. She will work on a USDA funded project investigating methylome changes during peptide signaling.
14 / It's science for the win as we host 7 talented high school summer apprentices in the lab this year.
July 8, 2024: We are so excited to be working with seven students from all over the country as they discover the tools and techniques that constitute the fundamentals of gene manipulation!
L-R: Chloe Fluker (Sunlake High School, Landolakes, FL), Grace Waveru (Hume-fogg Academy, Nashville, TN), Fejiro Akpoyovware (MLK Junior Magnet High School, Nashville, TN), Summer Bryant (Tampa Catholic High School, Tampa, FL), Chris Vestal (Maplewood High School, Nashville, TN), Dalton Thompson (Maplewood High School, Nashville, TN), and, Eric Guo (Farragut High School, Knoxville).
13 / Divya Jain presents a talk at the ASPB Plant Biology 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii!
June 25, 2024: Divya presents a poster and a talk about her doctoral research. Her talk presented during the session 'Plant Symbiosis and Immunity' was titled "Uncovering MtCAPE16 as a novel regulator of lateral root development and Root Nodule Symbiosis in M. truncatula".
12 / Sonali presents the Presidential Plenary lecture at the centennial American Society of Plant Biologists Plant Biology 2024 in Hawaii.
June 22, 2024: Sonali was invited by the ASPB society president Dr. Leeann Thronton to present a lecture addressing the question 'Why Plants'? The session explored the many motivations that scientists across the world have to pursue plant biology research. Sonali's talk titled "The Art and Science of Harnessing Legume Diversity" explored one such reason that (Plant) Science supports the (Culinary) Arts.
Left: Divya stands at her poster at the ASPB 2024 Right: Divya presents her talk at the concurrent session 'Plant Symbiosis and Immunity'.
Sonali presents her talk titled "The Art and Science of harnessing legume diversity" at the Plant Biology 2024 meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.
11 / Shivani Dharam and Shania Dean-Motley present their research at the NASNFC 2024 in Burlington, VT!
June 3, 2024: Graduate student Shivani Dharam presented her first national talk titled "Identification of Peptide Responsive Histone Modification genes during Root Nodule Symbiosis in Medicago truncatula". Undergraduate student Shania Dean-Motley presented her poster titled "The role of BAK1 in root nodule symbiosis". We are so proud of both of them!
Left: Shivani Dharam RIght: Shania Dean-Motley stand at their poster boards at the NASNFC 24 and discuss their research with other scientists.
10 / Happy to chat about our recent publication with the 'No time to read' podcast host Arif Ashraf.
May 25, 2024: Listen to our latest research if you indeed had no time to read 😉 our manuscript, now published in The Plant Journal. Listen to the podcast here.
Listen to Sonali on the No Time To Read podcast.
Shivani Dharam is awarded a certificate for her talk.
9 / The NSF funded course AGSC 4630/5630 Introduction to Gene Editing is successfully offered during the Spring 2024 semester.
April 30, 2024: The three credit course offered by Sonali was attended by 9 undergraduate and graduate students. Read two excellent blogs written as class assignments by Kyla Hughes and Jun Guo highlighting CRISPR applications and recent breakthroughs.
A group photo for AGSC4630/5630 on the last day of class!
8 / The lab is well represented as the ARD symposium 2024 led by Divya's first prize win!
April 8, 2024: Divya was awarded the first prize for her research presentation in a competition with 32 other student presenters. Four other members presented their research in the form of a poster.
L-R, Clockwise - Divya Jain shows her first prize certificate, Shania Dean-Motley presents her research as a poster, Dr. Rajni Parmar shares her ideas with visitors, Aminah Harding-Jones and Shivani Dharam stand in front of their posters during the student showcase. Lab members proudly displaying the TSU Blue at the symposium.
7 / Graduate student Ms. Divya Jain wins the three minute thesis competition.!
April 4, 2024: Divya explained her doctoral thesis research in under three minutes to win the second prize within the College of Agriculture! Prizes were sponsired by the magazine Edible Nashville.
Divya Jain explains her research to the audience.
6 / Graduate student Ms. Shivani Dharam was awarded the third prize for her oral presentation at the University Wide Research Symposium.
March 29, 2024: We are proud of all our graduate students representing the lab by presenting their research as posters or as 10 minute oral talks. Ms. Dharam recieved the third prize across all graduate students (Masters and PhD) within the College of Agriculture.
5 / Ms. Kyla Hughes wins the 2024 College of AGriculture's Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award!
March 15, 2024: We are all so proud of our young scientist Kyla Hughes who was awarded the outstanding student award for her excellence in academics and community service.
Kyla Hughes is awarded the outstanding undergraduate award at the 2024 College of Agriculture Luncheon attended by faculty and staff.
4 / We had a wonderful time speaking with our peers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture!
March 1, 2024: Sonali along with several faculty from within the College of Agriculture exchanged ideas, presented their scientific findings and built community with visiting faculty from the UT Knoxville campus.
Sonali Roy, (Left) speaks to Dr. Bode Adebowale Olukolu (Right), Assistant Professor of Entomology and Plant Pathology at UT Knoxville. Photo Credit: Charles Morrisson, TSU, College of Agriculture
3 / New Publication!
February 15, 2024: Roy, S., Torres-Jerez, I., Zhang, S., Liu, W., Schiessl, K., Jain, D., Lee, H.K., Boschiero, C., Krom, N., Zhao, P., Oldroyd, G. E. D.; Murray, J., Scheible, W., Udvardi, M. K. (2024) The peptide GOLVEN10 Alters Root Development and Noduletaxis in Medicago truncatula The Plant Journal (2024), https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.16626
We made it to the cover of The Plant Journal with an editorial highlight!
Read the Highlight Here: Nodules on the move—Medicago GOLVEN10 alters nodule positioning
2 / Rajni represents the lab at the 31st Plant and Animal Genomics Congress in San Diego!
January 15, 2024: Dr. Rajni Parmar presented a poster at the recently concluded PAG XXXI in San Diego where she presented her work on LRR-RLK receptors. Her poster titled MediCARGO: Decoding peptide perception during Medicago-Sinorhizobium symbiosis using CRISPR-cas9 as a reverse genetics tool is funded by NSF Award #2217830.
Rajni Parmar attends PAG31 in San Diego, CA
1 / Kyla attends the MIT Quantitative Methods Workshop in Cambridge, MA with 82 other participants!
January, 2024: Over the winter break, Kyla participated in a week long workshop for outstanding undergraduate students at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. The students learnt about topics ranging from cryo-EM to machine learning to RNAseq and used Python as a primary tool.
Kyla Hughes attends the QMW workshop at MIT in Boston, MA
January 2023 - December 2023
January 2022 - December 2022
January 2021 - December 2021
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