Regular biography
Katharina Schiessl is a Fellow at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the School of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on plant organogenesis, plant-microbe interactions, gene regulatory networks, and the study of coloniser-induced plant galls, including symbiotic and parasitic root galls. She employs developmental genetics, quantitative deep tissue imaging, and genome-scale profiling approaches to characterise gene regulatory pathways involved in the formation of abnormal plant growths, such as special feeding sites and intracellular accommodation. Her work explores how colonising organisms modify these pathways to generate unique plant structures.
Scholar-generated biography
Katharina Schiessl is a researcher at the Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University, focusing on plant development and molecular plant-microbe interactions, with a particular emphasis on nitrogen fixation. Her work explores how plants regulate organogenesis, especially in symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. She investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying nodule formation, cytokinin-activated cell division, and the role of hormones in symbiotic interactions. Her research also addresses how cell size and growth are controlled during plant development, using model systems like Medicago truncatula. Schiessl's studies contribute to understanding the genetic and hormonal regulation of plant-microbe symbiosis and its implications for agricultural practices.