Events under 'Dissertations'

For the third time Umeå Plant Science Centre is coordinating the Fascination of Plants Day on a local level in Umeå.

This year the event will take place on the Arts Campus, Umeå University.

Welcome to a day in the fascinating world of plants, indoors and outdoors on the Arts Campus. In a few hours you can meet plant scientists and other plant experts, participate in experiments, field trips, listen to short presentations and follow the beauty of plants in presentations and exhibitions.

The Fascination of Plants Day is an international initiative of European Plant Science Organization ESPO organised at many different places worldwide. The day is organized for the third time even in Umeå. The Fascination of Plants Day will inspire and fascinate about plants and demonstrate the importance of plant research for the environment and nature conservation, energy, agriculture, forestry and our own benefit.

In Umeå Fascination of Plants Day is a collaboration between several organisations: Umeå University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå Municipality, Arboretum Norr, and Bonsai Sällskapet.

This year the day is arranged in collaboration with Bildmuseet and Sliperiet, and will be part of Umeå University's 50th anniversary and SLU's 100th anniversary.

More information: http://www.fascinerandevaxtersdag.se

Contact:
Stefan Jansson, Professor, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel.070-677 23 31

UPSC Seminar for young plant scientists

Thursday 28th of May, KB3A9, Lilla Hörsalen 

13.30 – 14.00: Yin Wang, INRA Versailles, France
Title: Identification and regulation of laccases responsible for lignification in stems.
 
14.00 – 14.30: Tamara Verdeja, University of Madrid, Spain
Title: Molecular mechanisms regulating Arabidopsis cold acclimation and Poplar winter dormancy
 
14.30 – 15.00 Melis Kucukoglu, UPSC
Title: Which genes allow a tree “to grow as a tree”? - Lessons from Populus and Norway spruce.
 
15.00 – 15.30 Stefano Papazian, UPSC
Title: Omics Responses to Ozone and Herbivore Stress in Brassica nigra
 
15.30 – 16.00 Thomas Vain, UPSC
Title: Chemical Genomics To Unravel Auxin Perception Controlling Arabidopsis Seedling Development

16.30 – UPSC BBQ (Bring your own food and drinks)

Schedule for the docent lectures, 8 june, 9am-16pm

Session Hall, P-O Bäckström Hall, SLU Umeå

9:00-9.10 Welcome and docent procedure (presentation sakkunniga) Prof. Lena Gustafsson (chair)
9.10-9.55 Dr.Jonas Oliva Palau (Dr. Benedicte Albrectsen, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso )
9.55-10.40 Dr. Eugene Ezebio (Dr. Göran Bostedt, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso)
10.40-10.55 Coffee
10.55-11.40 Dr. Mattihas Peichl (Prof. Thomas Kätterer, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso)

11.40-13.00 Lunch

Dr. Karin Ljung (Chair)
13.00-13.45 Dr. Annika Felton (Prof. Petter Kjellander, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso)
13.45-14.30 Dr. Monica Strömgren (Dr. Tord Magnusson, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso)
14.30-14.45 Coffee
14.45-15.30 Dr. Stephanie Robert (Prof. Per Gardeström, Peter Aspengren, Alexandra D´Urso)
15.30-15.45 closing remarks

Welcome

Title: Acetylation of Polysaccharides in Plant Cell Wall
Place and time: Björken (Skogis), 26th June 2015, 10:00 am
Opponent: Peter Ulvskov, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Thirty graduate students from the Wallenberg Wood Science Center Academy, accompanied by their coordinator Prof. Paul Gatenholm from Chalmers will be visiting UPSC during three days.
More information:
http://www.upsc.se/about-upsc/news/4758-wwsc-academy-upsc-meeting-august-31st-september-2nd.html


Registration form (deadline August 10)

Welcome to
Working environment at UPSC ­ part 1
September 9th  Large seminar room KBC KB3B1 9:00-11:30
Participation is mandatory for everyone at UPSC

Questions to Thomas Hiltonen or Ingela Sandström

Schedule

Title: Short and long term low temperature responses in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Defendant: Paulina Stachula
Opponent: Dr. Dirk Hincha, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Postdam, Germany.
Place and Time: 2015-09-23 10.00, KBC-huset, KB3A9 (lilla hörsalen i KBC-huset)

Title: Combined profiling in Aspen. A systems Biology approach
Respondent: MSc Ogonna Obudulu, Institutionen för skoglig genetik och växtfysiologi
Opponent: Professor Einar Jensen, UIT Norges Arktiske Universitet, Tromsø

Time and Place: :2015-09-25 13.00  Umeå, Björken (SLU building)

Title: Cellular Aspects of Lignin Biosynthesis in Xylem Vessels of Zinnia and Arabidopsis
Defendant: Henrik Srk
Opponent: Prof. Simon Hawkins, Department of Functional and Structural Glycobiology, University of Lille, France.
Time & Place: 16:th of October 2016, 13.30

Abstract:
Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on earth and is found in the xylem (wood) of vascular land plants. To transport the hydro-mineral sap, xylem forms specialized cells, called tracheary elements (TEs), which are hollow dead cylinders reinforced with lateral secondary cell walls (SCW). These SCWs incorporate lignin to gain mechanical strength, water impermeability and resistance against pathogens. The aim of this thesis is to understand the spatio-temporal deposition of lignin during TE differentiation and the relationship with its neighbouring cells. In vitro TE differentiating cell cultures of Zinnia elegans and Arabidopsis thaliana are ideal tools to study this process: cells differentiate simultaneously into 30-50% TEs while the rest remain parenchymatic (non-TEs). Live-cell imaging of such TEs indicated that lignification occurs after programmed cell death (PCD), in a non-cell autonomous manner, in which the non-TEs provide the lignin monomers.
This thesis confirms that lignification occurs and continues long after TE PCD in both in vitro TE cultures and whole plants. The cooperative supply of lignin monomers by the non-TEs was first demonstrated by using in vitro TE cultures and confirmed in whole plants by using lignin monomer synthesis gene mutants that exhibit a reduction in TE lignification. The XP specific complementation of these mutants led to nearly completely rescuing the TE lignin reduction of the mutants. Experiments with in vitro TE cultures further revealed that non-TEs supply reactive oxygen species (ROS) to TEs and that ROS are required for TE post-mortem lignification. Non-TEs exhibit further an enlarged nucleus with increased DNA content, thus indicating that non-TEs are in fact endoreplicated xylem parenchyma (XP) cells. Microscopic analysis of the spatial distribution of lignin in in vitro TE cultures and whole plants revealed that lignification is restricted to TE SCWs in both protoxylem and metaxylem. These specific lignin deposition domains were found to be established by phenoloxidases, i.e. laccases and peroxidases. Laccases were cell-autonomously produced by developing TEs, indicating that the deposition domains are defined before PCD.
Altogether, these results highlight that the hydro-mineral sap conduction through TEs is enabled by the spatially and temporally controlled lignification of the SCW. Lignification occurs post-mortem by the supply of monomers and ROS from neighboring XP cells and is restricted to specific deposition domains, defined by the pre-mortem production of phenoloxidases.

UPSC  - Department of Plant Physiology
Master Thesis Defence

Dimitrios Ilanidis

Title:
Does the white rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, have the ability to decompose lignocellulose?


Place: KB4C10

Supervisor: Anita Sellstedt

---------

Title: Molecular Regulation of Vascular Cambium Identity and Activity
Respondent: Melis Kucukoglu
Opponent: Prof. Christian Hardtke, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

(http://wp.unil.ch/hardtkelab)


Time and Place: 2015-11-27, 10:00, Björken SLU

The Kempe Foundations present the
Gunnar Öquist Fellows 2015

Place: KB3B1, Stora hörsalen, KBC

Participants:
Carl Kempe, Kempestiftelserna
Gunnar Öquist, Department of Plant Physiology
Lena Gustafsson, Vice-Chancellor Umeå University
Karin Ljung, Dekanus, Faculty of Forest Sciences, SLU

and two new Gunnar Öquist Fellows

Title: New insights into the regulation of stomatal movements by red light, carbon dioxide and circadian rhythms
Respondent: Anastasia Matrosova
Opponent: Dr Tracy Lawson, University of Essex, UK

Time and Place: 2015-12-04 10.00 Aspen SLU

UREM 2016 - Understanding and applying photosynthesis for a safe future
Organizers: Christiane Funk, Sylvia Larsson, Johannes Hansson and Johannes Messinger

Registration is closed now!

Conference Website
 
This meeting is dedicated to presentations and discussions on how sunlight can be transformed into fuels or valuable products and applications. Examples are the storage of light energy in molecular hydrogen (H2), methanol or ethanol produced from water and or CO₂ by photosynthetic organisms or by artificial photosynthesis, the cleaning of waste water and CO₂-containing flue gasses with photosynthetic organisms, the production of fish food using algae and the efficient use of algae and forest biomass in biorefineries or for the production of biogas. We bring together world experts in the fields of natural and artificial photosynthesis, bioenergy and biorefinery that will interact closely with local researchers and the public to advance these fields.
 
The Umeå Renewable Energy meeting is an annual event in Umeå since 2009. UREM2016 will take place February 24 and 25. We will have 14 invited speakers (of which 3 give keynote lectures) and 14 local presentations. The meeting is highly interdisciplinary, with speakers and attendees having backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology and physiology. The aim is to strengthen and focus the renewable energy related research in Umeå by inspiring the students and public. For this, also ‘Meet the speaker lunches’ will be organized for students and postdocs, and two public lectures will be held on February 23.


Conference Website

Thesis Defence
UPSC Department of Plant Physiology

Sacha Escamez

Title:
Xylem cells cooperate in the control of lignification and cell death during plant vascular development

Faculty Examiner:
Andrew Groover, Department of Plant Biology
College of Biological Sciences
University of California, Davis, USA


Supervisor: Hannele Tuominen

Place: Lilla hörsale KB3A9

8.30	Arne Pommerening, professor i skoglig matematisk statistik
	Title: Can't see the wood for the trees? - The journey of mathematical forestry
9.00	Vaughan Hurry, professor i skogsträdens fysiologi
	Title: Life in a hothouse world
10.00	Karin Ljung, professor in plant physiology
	Title: Forskningen går under jorden – Vad kan ett ogräs lära oss om växters och träds rotutveckling?
10.30	David Parsons, professor i växtodlingslära
	Title: Agricultural Systems – Finding clarity in the complexity

 
For more information look here: Nya professor at SLU Umeå

PhD School on environmental regulation of plant development in Valencia, Spain, 17-19, May 2016,

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

Thesis Defence
Zhi-qiang Chen

Title:
Quantiative Genetics of Norway Spruce in Sweden

Faculty Examiner:
Professor Fikret Isik, Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA.

Supervisor:
Harry, X. Wu

Place: P-O Bäckström sal, SLU Library Building, SLU, Umeå

We welcome you to the UPSC Days 2016!

They will take place the 30-31 May 2016 at Skogshögskolan (SLU, Umeå).

The meeting will focus on cutting edge research in plant science and highlight new initiatives and facilities here at the UPSC. Besides talks we will have an extended poster session during lunch and coffee breaks.

We like to encourage every participant to submit a proposal for a poster title together with the registration. The UPSC Young Scientist Symposium is included in the UPSC days.


Location: P.O. Bäckström salen and Åteln, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) in Umeå

Programme and registration

Contact: Anne Honsel, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thesis Defence Department of Plant Physiology

Franziska Bandau


Title: Importance of tannins for responses of aspen to anthropogenic nitrogen enrichment

Faculty Examiner: Lisbeth Jonsson, professor, Stockholm University,  Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences

Supervisor: Benedicte Albrectsen.

Room: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

Master Thesis Defence

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

Álvaro Montiel Jordá

Title: The role of the BLADE-ON-PETIOLE genes in flowering

Supervisor: Ove Nilsson and Bo Zhang

Room: KB4C10 Lecture Room

Master Thesis Defence 

Department of Plant Physiology

Daniel Iglesias Duro

Title: CRISPR/Cas9-based transcriptional regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Supervisor: Markus Schmid

Room: KB4C10 Lecture Room

Thesis Defence Department of Plant Physiology

Louise Norén Lindbäck

Title: Coordination of two different genomes in response to light and stress.

Faculty Examiner: Dr Antony Dodd, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK

Supervisor: Åsa Strand

Room: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

Thesis Defence Department of Plant Physiology

Erik Edlund

Title: Regulatory Control of Autumn Senescence in Populus tremula.


Faculty Examiner: Paul Dijkwel, Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand

Supervisor: Stefan Jansson

Room: Stora hörsalen, KB3B1

Thesis Defence Department of Plant Physiology

Marie Holmgren

Title: Trametes versicolor as biodegrader of lignocellulose and biocatalyst during ethanol fermentation.

Faculty Examiner: Mohammad Taherzadeh, professor in Bioprocess Technology, Swedish Centre of Resource Recovery University of Borås.

Supervisor: Anita Sellstedt

Room: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

Thesis Defence Department of Plant Physiology

Huizu Vicky Guo

Title: Phenolics, Nitrogen, and Biotic interactions: A study of phenylpropanoid metabolites and gene expression in the leaves of Populus tremula.

Faculty Examiner: George Newcombe, Prof, Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences, University of Idaho, USA

Supervisor: Benedicte Albrectsen.

Room: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

Welcome to the KBC DAYS 2016 at Chemical Biological Centre

8 - 9 November 2016

Place: Stora hörsalen KB.E3.03 (former KB3B1)

For more information and for registration have a look here:

http://www.kbc.umu.se/english/events/kbc-days/

Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:
•Cellulose chemistry and derivatives
•Cellulose structures and composites
•Dissolution of cellulose
•Dissolving pulp preparation and properties
•Nanocellulose, Regeneration of cellulose
•Spinning of cellulosic fibres
 
Study visits to Domsjö Fabriker, SP Processum and MoRe Research.
Registration will open in April 1.
Researchers and industry representatives are invited to present latest findings.

Paper and poster applications to be submitted at latest May 30.

www.celluloseworkshop.com

Thesis Defence Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology (SLU)

Thomas Vain

Title: Chemical biology and digital image processing to unravel complex molecular mechanisms in Arabidopsis

Faculty Examiner: Dolf Weijers, Wageningen University, Netherlands

Supervisor: Stéphanie Robert

Room: Björken (Skogis)