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RESEARCH |
Professor Farrant's research involves investigation of the mechanisms of desiccation tolerance (DT) in the vegetative tissues and seeds of highly unusual plants (termed resurrection plants) that tolerate extreme water loss and yet regain full metabolism in existing tissues on rewatering. Of the 300 angiosperm species world wide that exhibit vegetative desiccation tolerance, 90% occur only in southern Africa and her
research group are consequently able to study a number of tissue types (roots, stems, leaves and seeds) in a variety of resurrection plants (nine angiosperm and two ferns species).
In order to gain a full understanding of the phenomenon of desiccation tolerance it is important to study the plant responses from the molecular to the whole plant, ecophysiological levels. Professor Farrant's research therefore encompasses investigation of gene transcription and regulation, characterization of the proteins produced and their regulation and of metabolites produced that ultimately protect the plant tissues at the subcellular level. Also included are ultrastructural and structural biology studies, in which the subcellular protectants are localized and important protein structures solved in order to understand the nature of their protection. This is then related to aspects of whole plant anatomical and physiological changes that occur in response to drying and rehydration.
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About Jill Farrant |
| Professor Jill Farrant is a leader in the field of plant responses to water deficit stress (drought/desiccation tolerance). Most recently, she received outstanding recognition by being chosen as the African/Arab States recipient of the 2012 L'Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science. She is one of only five scientists worldwide who have been selected by an international jury as "researchers who will have a major impact on society and help light the way to the future" (download the press release). In 2009, she was awarded an A-rating by the National Research Foundation (the first female researcher at UCT ever to receive such a rating) as well as being made a member of the University of Cape Town College of Fellows. Her research has contributed to the understanding of mechanisms used by resurrection plants to tolerate desiccation. This knowledge has been fundamental to identifying characteristics (genes) that might be important for use in bioengineering of crops for improved drought tolerance. At the MSc and PhD level, she studied the unusual desiccation-sensitive (recalcitrant) seeds of Avicennia marina, comparing them to desiccation-tolerant (orthodox) seeds to identify characteristics that are important for desiccation tolerance. On arrival at the University of Cape Town, Jill initiated work on resurrection plants. Her research encompasses physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, and focuses on several different species of resurrection plant, making comparisons among them. In 2007, after serving as head of the Molecular and Cell Biology Department for the previous three years, she was awarded the research chair of plant physiology and molecular biology. She also currently serves as the President of the South African Association of Botanists. |
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