The McFarLab welcomes our newest lab member, our brand new TECAN Spark Multimodal plate reader. The Spark will help us conduct high-throughput screening of synthetic reporters of cell wall stress, plus we will also use it for routine experiments to track cell wall signaling (reactive oxygen species bursts, Ca2+ bursts), cell wall composition, fluorescent protein signals, and to quantify DNA and RNA.

Thank you to NSERC for the Research Tools and Instruments Grant that supported this purchase.

6 new BSc students join the lab today:

Stella Chen, Tina Guan, and Elle Nelson have take up work-study positions.

Fayeza Azad starts a CSB498 project working Fabrizio on cross-talk of cell will signaling with other pathways.

Krystyn Kalloo starts a CSB498 project on cell wall signaling and regulation of cell wall secretion.

Jenson McIntyre starts a CSB498 project working with Eduardo on screening for cell wall signaling mutants.

The McFarLab welcomes new MSc student Gaeun Shin. Gaeun is no stranger to the lab since she previously conducted CSB498 and CSB499 project courses in the lab and held a prestigious University of Toronto Excellence Award over the summer. Gaeun will continue her work on how protein phosphorylation is involved in cell wall signal transduction. Welcome back, Gaeun!

The McFarLab is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to study the molecular mechanisms of plant cell wall signaling. This, open, fully-funded, unionized position includes benefits such as paid vacation and extended health and dental care. The initial appointment will be for 1 year, with possible renewal to a total of 2.5 years of the funded project, supported by the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) via the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Review of applications begins July 17

See details here https://csb.utoronto.ca/job/postdoctoral-fellow-in-plant-cell-wall-signaling/, including information on how to apply for this position.

The McFarLab welcomes five summer undergraduate students to the lab this week:

Fayeza Azad joins the group as our new summer work-study student.

Tina Guan has been awarded a highly competitive NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award to investigate the interplay between hormone signaling and cell wall signaling

Jenson McIntyre joins the group as a summer work-study student to screen for cell wall signaling mutants.

Gaeun Shin has won a prestigious University of Toronto Excellence Award to continue investigating the molecular mechanisms of cell wall signaling.

Vicky Zhu will conduct some transcript analysis as a casual worker.

Welcome to the McFarLab, everyone! If you’re wondering how these students came to join the group, check out the info on joining the McFarLab team.

Today, Jenson McIntyre joins the lab as a volunteer student. He will work with Eduardo to screen for mutants that affect cell wall signaling.

Today, Fabrizio Chow and Eskandar Mohammad join the McFarlab as new MSc students.

Fabrizio earned his BSc from the University of British Columbia where he studied the localization of enzymes that contribute to the reinforcement of plant secondary cell walls via lignification with Prof. Lacey Samuels. Fabrizio will study the molecular mechanisms of plant cell wall signaling.

Eskandar first joined the lab as a work-study student, then continued as a CSB498 project course student, and finally won a prestigious UTEA scholarship. Eski will continue his previous to study how pectins contribute to plant morphological changes.

We also have several new undergrads in the lab”

Vicky Fang joins the lab a CSB498 project course student.

Francesca Medina will continue her work in the lab as a work-study student.

Elle Nelson joins the group as our new work-study student.

Gaeun Shin will continue her summer CSB498 project working as a CSB499 project course student.

Demitra Tsoukalas will transition from being a work-study student to a CSB498 project course student.

Vicky Zhu will continue her work in the lab as a work-study student.

Today, Alban Mariette joins the lab as a visiting postdoc from Prof. Berit Ebert’s Lab at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. Alban’s visit is supported by a Journal of Cell Science/The Company of Biologists Travelling Fellowship and he is joining the group to conduct transmission electron microscopy and live cell imaging to investigate plant cell wall synthesis as part of Heather and Prof. Ebert’s Alliance International Catalyst grant.

The McFarLab welcomes seven summer-term undergraduate students to the lab this week:

Evan Berthelot will continue his previous work as a CSB499 student.

Francesca Medina joins the lab as a new work-study student.

Eskandar Mohammad will continue his CSB498 work as a UTEA scholarship winner.

Gaeun Shin joins the lab as a CSB498 student.

Demitra Tsoukalas joins the lab as a new work-study student.

Tony Xie joins the group as a BCB330 student.

Shengjie Xu joins the lab as a CSB498 student.