Project Reference: TRG27-SLB-SR1

Project title: How does cell size impact sensing of mechanical stress.

Project outline

Plant development is sensitive to mechanical stress. Plants growing in high wind or subject to trampling will have a different phenotype. Mechanical stress can also have a positive impact, creating stronger, more resilient plants. Plants sense internal and external stress. Internal stress results from the shape of the cell, turgor pressure and incompatibilities between neighbouring cells in a tissue. Little is known about how internal stresses impact a plant's ability to sense external stress. E.g. if plants have smaller cells, they have less internal stress; does this increase their ability to sense external stress? We can address this using our custom tools to apply mechanical stress while imaging the cells. We can also manipulate parameters such as cell size to see the impact. The project will require microscopy, biomechanics and potentially mechanical modelling. The results will help us predict and potentially engineer sensitivity to mechanical stress. 

Principal Supervisor

Dr Sarah Robinson

Email address: sarah.robinson@slcu.cam.ac.uk

Department / Partner Institute: Sainsbury Laboratory

Website: https://www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/research/robinson-group

BBSRC strategic theme

Understanding the rules of life