Research at the Institute of Molecular BioSciences

Areas of Research

Molecular Evolution

Professor David Penny
Our group is actively interested in a wide range of evolutionary questions where DNA sequences are critical. The two aspects of the research are devising better methods for extracting information from DNA sequences and asking important biological questions for testing.

Professor Peter Lockhart
My research interests include studies on the evolutionary properties of molecules, and their impact on our ability to reconstruct the evolutionary history of organisms. I am fascinated by endosymbiosis, the origins and evolution of organelles, and species radiations in island and mountain environments.

Computational Biology

Dr Murray Cox

My research leverages new genetic technologies with sophisticated computational analysis to dissect the evolution of species, populations and genomes. Particular interests include reconstructing human prehistory (especially in the Pacific region), developing new methods of demographic inference, and determining how the transcriptome evolves. This cutting edge research is carried out at the interface of biology, statistics and computer science.

Molecular and Ecological Genetics

Dr Vaughan Symonds
The majority of our work is concentrated on understanding the genetic and molecular bases of morphological variation. We use QTL mapping, population genetics, and functional genetics to identify such variation and characterize how it is distributed within and among populations and closely related species. This work extends from functional analyses in model systems to conservation genetics.

Plant Physiology

Professor Michael McManus,

Professor McManus is interested in how biochemical pathways are organised and controlled in plants. Concepts of protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications are examined using two pathways as model systems: the reductive sulfur assimilation pathway and the biosynthesis of the plant hormone ethylene. 

Dr Paul Dijkwel

Interested in how plants die? Plants actively die and use the nutrients from photosynthetic tissue for the developing seeds or for growth in the next season. We use the model plant Arabidopsis together with its powerful tools to understand the physiology of senescence.

Systematics and Evolution

Dr Jennifer Tate

Plant-Microbe Symbiosis

Professor Barry Scott
The focus of our research is to understand the molecular basis for maintenance of the mutualistic symbiotic interaction between Epichloe festucae and perennial ryegrass. In particular we are interested in signalling mechanisms between host and symbiont that (i) activate expression of genes encoding enzymes for the synthesis of bioprotective metabolites and (ii) regulate growth of endophyte hyphae in the plant through activation of the NADPH oxidase (Nox) complex.

Host microbe interaction

Dr Jan Schmid
My lab investigates the molecular biology, epidemiology and population biology of pathogenic and mutualistic microbe-host interactions (Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Neotyphodium endophytes). We are interested in molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions and in the molecular epidemiology, evolution and population genetics of the microbes involved.

Plant Protection

Assoc Prof Rosie Bradshaw
Healthy trees are needed for a healthy planet. My research is focused mainly on fungal forest pathogens, particularly Dothistroma needle blight of pines. My research group uses the tools of molecular biology, genomics, biochemistry, microscopy and classical plant pathology to study plant-pathogen interactions and to develop new methods of disease monitoring and control.

Structural Biology

Dr Andrew Sutherland-Smith
The aim of our research is to understand how a protein's cellular function is related to its structure. Specific examples of our research interests include investigating how mutations associated with human disease alter the properties of cytoskeletal and muscle proteins and characterising novel mammalian proteins. 

Dr Gill Norris
My research investigates the relationship between protein structure and function: cellular location, control of production and post translational modifications. We use an array of techniques to shed light on the structure/function relationships of proteins including x-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, proteomic and kinetic analyses.

Dr Mark Patchett
We put bacterial warfare under the microscope to study the evolution, regulation, synthesis and structure-function relationships of novel antimicrobial peptides. The results are used to develop more accurate models for the origins of new antibiotics, virulence factors and post-translational modifications.

Epigenetics

Assoc Prof Kathryn Stowell
I have general interest in studying the molecular mechanisms associated with drug resistance during cancer chemotherapy. My current research focuses on epigenetic changes which alter can drug sensitivity during chemotherapy for both brain tumours and melanoma.

Dr Tracy Hale
In the eukaryotic nucleus, DNA is packaged into the highly folded yet dynamic structure of chromatin by core histones and the linker histone H1. Further compaction into higher order structures occurs with the binding of architectural proteins like the Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) family. As such chromatin contributes to and regulates all aspects of genome function. All cancer cells are characterized by a disorganized chromatin structure that is likely to create an environment with inappropriate gene expression and genomic instability that is necessary for tumour progression. Research in our laboratory explores the role of histone H1 and HP1 in chromatin regulation, and how their aberrant function can disrupt development and contribute to carcinogenesis.

Dr Jeong Park
The epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of gene expression include post-translational modifications of histone tails and specific incorporation of histone variants such as H2A.Z into the genome. We are interested in the molecular mechanism of how a site-specific localization of H2A.Z and its histone tail modifications can modulate gene expression. To this end, purified recombinant proteins and artificially assembled chromatin templates will be used to analyze site-specific enrichment of H2A.Z and chromatin modification kinetics at the promoter region.

Molecular Microbiology

Professor Bernd Rehm
My research focuses on microbial biosynthesis of polymers and biosurfactants as well as on the self-organisation of biological nanostructures produced by microorganisms. The biosynthesis of alginates, polyhydroxyalkanoates (bioplastics, biopolyester) and rhamnolipids and the formation of intracellular polymer granules are investigated. These studies involve the application of a broad spectrum of imaging techniques as well as different analytical methods including the identification and molecular characterization of biosynthesis genes and their gene products.

Dr Jasna Rakonjac
The research in my laboratory revolves around the central question of how bacteria communicate with their environment and other microbes. Phage display technology is used characterize bacterial surface and secreted proteins, and also to identify proteins that interact with other microbes. Another line of research focuses on opening and closing mechanism of a giant outer membrane channel that exports filamentous phages from bacterial cells. Finally, we manipulate assembly of filamentous phage f1 to significantly decrease the size of the virions.

Human Genetics

Assoc Prof Kathryn Stowell
My research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of malignant hyperthermia in New Zealand. Malignant hyperthermia is a potentially fatal complication of general anaesthesia in susceptible people and there are ~50 families throughout NZ affected by this disorder.

Dr Jeong Park
We are interested in DNA damage response focusing on the p53 tumor suppressor protein whose mutations or misregulations are major triggers in almost every form of human cancers. We currently investigate p53-dependent eukaryotic gene regulation, post-translational modifications, and DNA damage-mediated signal transduction pathways. By combining tissue culture system with powerful biochemistry tools, our research group is looking for molecular targets to sensitize cancer cells to current chemo- and radio-therapy