个人简介

2008 Ph.D., Biological Chemistry, Emory University 2001 B.S., Biochemistry, Florida State University 2012 - Assistant Professor, Florida Institute of Technology 2011 Research Scientist, University of Wisconsin Madison 2009 - 2011 Postdoctoral fellow, University of Wisconsin Madison

研究领域

Low molecualr weight compounds are important modulators of biological systems at multiple trophic levels. They can function as cues, signals, enahncers, inhibitors, and more. Understanding their roles both physiologically as well as ecologically are critical to issues of conservation, human health, agriculture, and industrial manufacturing. Working at the interface of chemistry and biology we exploit the strengths of each discipline to resolve such questions. We are particularly interested in studying these phenomenon in plant and plant-like systems. Our work relies heavily on a collaborative approach and we have partners in the departments of chemistry and biomedical engineering on-campus as well as with several labs at other universities.

1. Eavesdropping on bacterial 'conversations' - Numerous species of bacteria coordinate their behaviors based on population density, a phenomenon known as quorum sensing (QS). QS behaviors include antibiotic resistance, the production of biofilm 'plaques', and the production of virulence factors that can digest the tissues of propsective host organisms. Not surprinsgly, plants and animals have evolved to detect the signals that modulate QS. Using a plant Arabidopsis thaliana and an algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as hosts, we are investigating these detection and response pathways. 2. Cell wall fragment-based signaling - The production of reactive oxygen species like hydrogen peroxide can oxidize phenolics associated with the cell walls of plants to active signaling molecules in a process known as semagenesis. Semagenesis may have substnatial roles in plant growth, defense, and interorganismal communication. Combining elements of biology and chemistry we have begun to monitor these reactions in real-time at the sites on plant tissues where they occur. We are also mapping the molecualr response network associated with these signals. 3. Inducible competition in plants - Plants display distinct growth responses not only to the presence of different species, but also to members of the same and different subspecies. Such complex social behaviors enhance our appreciation of the complexity of plants and is crucial to understanding the interplay betwen resouce competition and plant growth. By bringing together elements of molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and confocal microscopy we are elucidating this complex plant-plant signaling event. 4. Astrobiology - As manned space exploration extends further from Earth, the continuous shipment of goods will become prohibitively expensive and failed shipments may have lethal consequences. One approach for limiting both initial as well as sustained mission costs is through the implementation of strict in situ resource utilization (ISRU) requirements. ISRU focuses on the extraction and exploitation of existing resources at the colony site. With NASA’s 2040 Mars deadline on the horizon, ISRU research will deliver sustainable, economically viable solutions for these future colonists and a blueprint for future manned ventures into the cosmos.

近期论文

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Palmer, A.G., Mukherjee, A., Stacy, D.M., Lazar, S., Ane, J.M., Blackwell, H.E. “Interkingdom responses to bacterial quorum sensing signals regulate frequency and rate of nodulation in the legume-rhizobia symbiosis” Chembiochem (2016), 17, 2199-2205 Palmer, A.G., Ali, M., *Yang S., Parchami, N., Bento, T., *Mazzella, A., Oni, M., *Riley, M.C., Schneider, K., *Massa, N. "Kin recognition is a nutrient-dependent inducible phenomenon" Plant Signaling and Behavior (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2016.1224045 Liang, L., Liu, Y., Jariwala, J., Lynn, D.G., Palmer, A.G. "Detection and Adaptation in Parasitic Angiosperm Host Selection" American Journal of Plant Sciences (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2016.78123 Palmer, A.G., Senechal A., Mukherjee, A., *Much, E., Ané, J.M., Blackwell, H.E. “AHLs modulate plant growth and development through the activity of a fatty acid amide hydrolase” ACS Chemical Biology (2014) dx.doi.org/10.1021/cb500191a Praneenararat, T., Palmer, A.G., Blackwell, H.E."Chemical methods to interrogate bacterial quorum sensing pathways." Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry (2012) DOI: 10.1039/c2ob26353j Palmer, A.G., *Streng, E., Blackwell, H.E. “Attenuation of virulence in pathogenic bacteria using synthetic quorum-sensing modulators under native conditions on plant hosts” ACS Chemical Biology (2011), 6, 1348-1356 Palmer, A.G., *Streng, E., Jewell, K., Blackwell, H.E. “Quorum Sensing in Bacterial Species that Use Degenerate Autoinducers Can Be Tuned Using Structurally Identical Non-Native Ligands” ChemBioChem (2011), 12, 138-147 Palmer, A.G., *Chen, M.C., *Kinger, N.P., Lynn, D.G. “Parasitic Angiosperms, Semagenesis and General Strategies for Plant–Plant Signaling in the Rhizosphere.” Pest Management Science (2009), 65, 512-519