Kerryn
Popa commenced as a part-time Masters student in March 2004.
The project aims to identify cadmium hyperaccumulators within
the Brassicaceae with the view to phytoremediate cadmium from
contaminated soils. Physiological data will be obtained from glasshouse
and field trials. Complementary investigations will utilise molecular
biological studies to characterise possible relationships between
gene expression and metal accumulation.
Since
commencing my Masters in March 2004….
·
I have screened a range of Brassicaceae species for cadmium
tolerance and accumulation, growing plants in nutrient solution
with cadmium. Plants have been analysed for metal content using
ICP-OES.
·
Species selected from the initial screen have been grown in
solution culture exposed to several concentrations of cadmium.
Shoot material is currently under analysis for metal content
and for expression of genes known to be associated with heavy
metal tolerance.
·
I have attended 2nd SoilRem (2004), Nanjing, China and 8th ICOPTE
2005), Adelaide, Australia.
·
Greenhouse and field trials are next on the agenda.
All
achieved while balancing motherhood and perfecting circus tricks!
Supervisors:
Professor
Alan J. M. Baker
Assoc.
Prof. Chris Cobbett
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