Martin Höfer

PhD Student

 

© Pixabay

Plant Adaptation-in-action
Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity
Huefferstr. 1
D-48149 Münster, Germany
Tel.: +49 251/83-21016
mhoefer1@uni-muenster.de

Nationality: German De

Education

  • Since 2020:
    PhD studies in the Plant Adaptation-in-action Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Germany
  • 2017 - 2019:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Chemical Biology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
  • 2014 - 2017:
    Master of Science (B.Sc.) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

Work experience

  • 2018:
    Internship, Department of Host Septomics, Centre for Innovation Competence Septomics, Jena, Germany
  • 2017 - 2018:
    Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany

Supervisors

  • Prof. Dr. Shuqing Xu, Plant Adaptation-in-action Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Jörg Kudla, Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology of Plants Group, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Oliver Krüger, Plant Physiology Group, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Germany

Research interests

  •  
  •  
  •  

PhD project description

Map NTSR: Maping non-targeted-site resistance to herbicides in Spirodela polyrhiza

My PhD project is focused on the identification of genes involved in conferring non-targeted-site resistance in plants. To answer this question, I am applying a forward genetics approach on the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. The first step of my project includes an herbicide toxicity assay. Here, I cultivate 200 genotypes of Spirodela polyrhiza under herbicide stress conditions with the aim to identify the most herbicide resistant genotypes. In the second phase of my thesis, I am going to identify gene loci that are associated with this herbicide tolerance. This will be done in correlation-based computational approaches like genome wide association studies (GWAS) or coexpression networks. Finally, the involvement of the identified gene loci in conferring herbicide resistance will be examined in a reverse genetics approach. This will involve gene overexpression studies or gene knock-outs via the CRISPR/Cas9 platform.