Project Summary:
The University of Illinois is a partner institution in the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), a transdisciplinary team working to revolutionize interactions between humans, plants, and the environment. As part of the CROPPS team, the Hind Lab is contributing towards the goal to develop the next generation of biotechnologies required for generating programmable plants.
Hairy root transformation is a callus-free technique that utilizes Rhizobium rhizogenes to infect plants and create transgenic ‘hairy’ roots. The goal of this project is to optimize and test hairy root transformation of tomato seedlings towards the development of an in planta transformation protocol.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The research assistant will primarily work with graduate student Justin Larkin to perform hairy root transformation of tomato seedlings. Specific duties and responsibilities will include:
• Preparing/autoclaving tissue culture media and sterilizing required materials (25%)
• Performing plant transformation experiments (65%)
• Completing housekeeping tasks such as autoclaving waste and sterilizing general laboratory supplies (10%)
Preferred Qualifications:
• Have Junior-level status
• Have completed either MCB 251 and/or 253 with at least a ‘B’ average
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
• Foundational knowledge of plants (e.g., IB 103)
• Knowledge of biotechnology methods and applications
Appointment Information:
The research assistant is expected to work 10 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, with the possibility of working 40 hours per week during summer 2024. The starting salary is $13/hour but will increase to $14/hour starting January 1, 2024. The expected start date is as soon as possible, but no later than October 1, 2023.
Application Procedures:
Email a copy of an updated CV/resume and a short description of why you are interested in the position to jtlarkin@illinois.edu with “CROPPS Undergrad Research Assistant Applicant” in the email subject line.
