My research program is focused on the phytoremediation of toxic pollutants with the purpose of environmental clean up of contaminated soil, water and air. Phytoremediation- a plant-based technology is a new and exciting field of plant biology and it demonstrates the great potential of plant biotechnology to be used for environmental restoration. My research approach involves a multidisciplinary application of methodologies from molecular biology, genomics (cloning of genes conferring detoxification or tolerance, ion transport and sequestration), physiology and biochemistry to decipher the underlying molecular mechanism of metal tolerance. My recent research has been focused mainly on the detoxification and remediation of toxic metalloids and metals such as As and Cd, using genetically engineered plants. I am extending my research on other toxic metals such as Pb and Cr.
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Expression profiling of Crambe abyssinica under arsenate stress identifies genes and gene networks involved in arsenic metabolism and detoxification (with Suganthi Kandasamy and Bibin Paulose), BMC Plant Biology (2010)
Background Arsenic contamination is widespread throughout the world and this toxic metalloid is known to...
The Shoot-Specific Expression of γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase Directs the Long-Distance Transport of Thiol-Peptides to Roots Conferring Tolerance to Mercury and Arsenic (with Yujing Li, Laura Carreira, Aaron P. Smith, and Richard B. Meagher), Plant Physiology (2006)
Thiol-peptides synthesized as intermediates in phytochelatin (PC) biosynthesis confer cellular tolerance to toxic elements like...