Miriam Schulz-raffelt

Biography

since April 2015: Research Associate at the Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Systems Biology (Prof. M. Schroda), Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany 10/2014 - 03/2015: DFG return fellowship, Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany 2013 - 2014: DFG research fellowship, CEA Cadarache, France 10/2009 – 10/2012: Postdoc in the group of Dr. Gilles Peltier at CEA Cadarache, France (Laboratory of Microalgal and Bacterial Bioenergetics and Biotechnology) 12/2005 - 06/2009: PhD thesis in the Department of Plant Biochemistry at Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Germany (09/2009 phD) 2000 - 2005: Studies of Biology (Major Biochemistry of Plants; Minors Microbiology, Cell biology, Pharmacology) at Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Germany (10/2005 Diploma in Biology)

Research Interest

Microalgae represent a promising feedstock for the production of biofuel because of their rapid biomass production and their ability to accumulate high levels of energy-rich reserve compounds such as oil and starch. Environmental stress conditions, such as nutrient limitation, high light, increased salinity or heat, were found to trigger neutral lipid accumulation in microalgae. So far, only few genes are known for targeted engineering of microalgae to improve oil accumulation. By using genetic approaches we explore the potential of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for increased carbon reserve accumulation. I am also highly interested in understanding acclimation responses in plants. Changes in environmental conditions such as light and temperature may lead to disturbed protein homeostasis resulting from acclimation responses. How does the cell cope with perturbations and re-establish proteostasis, which is crucial for the viability? We use Chlamydomonas as plant model organism to monitor cellular responses to challenging environmental conditions on system-wide molecular levels. This research is supported by the CRC/Transregio 175.