Key Responsibilities

• Optimize protoplast isolation and regeneration protocols for efficient production of genome edited potato plants.
• Gene construct development and validation.
• Transient expression vectors producing CAS9 and gRNA, ribonucleoprotein (RNP) transfection, and virus-induced genome editing (VIGE) to achieve foreign-DNA-free edited events.
• Molecular characterization of transgenic and genome edited events by PCR, RTq-PCR, Southern blot, sequencing and bioinformatics.
• Phenotyping by artificial infection of plants using local pathogen strains in the biosafety glasshouse.
• Able to cope with heavy intermittent workloads that might extend beyond office hours and during weekends.
• Any other duties assigned.