SYMBIOSIS GENOMICS
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Sarah Gierz

Picture

PhD Candidate

Building 20, Room 10
Molecular Genetics Laboratory
James Cook University
Townsville QLD 4811
Australia

Phone: +61 7 4781 5395
​Email: sarah.gierz@my.jcu.edu.au

PhD project

Thermal stress acclimation and light-harvesting complex expression in Symbiodinium

Symbiodinium species form symbiotic associations with corals and a variety of other organisms, however, these relationships are extremely sensitive to stressors. My PhD aims to investigate the impact of prolonged thermal stress on Symbiodinium. By utilising temperatures below the bleaching threshold and prolonged time frames we hope to investigate the responses of Symbiodinium under future climate conditions. Physiological responses of Symbiodinium are characterised using microscopy, spectrophotometry and by assessing the cells photo-physiology. The physiological data is supported by molecular data using both targeted and whole transcriptome analysis approaches and western blotting for protein expression analysis. My project has also focussed on a specific family of genes called light-harvesting complexes. Light-harvesting complexes are of particular interest as they have roles in both enhancing light capture and in photo protection and have been implicated in the bleaching response of Symbiodinium to thermal stress.   

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. James Cook University (Australia)
BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. James Cook University (Australia)

Research skills

Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology skills:
  • Aseptic and sterile techniques
  • Cell culture​ of Symbiodinium
  • Cell culture of bacteria
  • Microscopy - Optical and Confocal
  • Media and Buffer preparation
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Imaging PAM fluorometry
  • DNA extraction
  • Cloning and plasmid DNA purification
  • Nanodrop and Qubit
  • Primer design
  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
  • Restriction enzyme digests
  • Agarose gel electrophoresis
  • RNA extraction
  • Quantitative RT-PCR
  • Protein extraction
  • SDS-PAGE
  • Western Blotting

​Computer and Statistics skills:
  • ​SPSS 
  • R
  • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
  • DNASTAR
  • Blast2Go
  • qBase+
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  • Home
  • About
  • PEOPLE
    • A/Prof Bill Leggat
    • Current students >
      • Mr Alexander Fordyce
      • Ms Charlotte Page
      • Tess Moriarty
      • Ms Sarah Gierz
      • Ms Alejandra Hernandez
      • Ms Kate Quigley
    • Ms Chris Bligh
  • Funded projects
  • Funding organisations
  • Publications