The cluster group of Molecular Plant Physiology (MoPP) trains and mentors the next generation of innovation leaders. The MoPP members jointly thrive to deliver high quality teaching at the University of Freiburg. If you have general questions related to specific courses or lectures, please, address them to the MoPP teaching coordinator Dr. Stefan Kircher.
Ausgewählte Lehrveranstaltungen mit Beteiligung der AG Kleine-Vehn
Bachelorstudiengang
GM-11: Grundmodul „Physiologie“, 3. Semester
Vorlesungen, prakt. Übungen mit Protokoll, Abschlussklausur
PM-18: Profilmodul „Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana“, 4. Semester
Vorlesungen, prakt. Übungen/Semesterprojekt mit Vortrag
Vorlesungen, prakt. Übungen/Semesterprojekt mit Vortrag
VM-11: Vertiefungsmodul „Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie“, 5. Semester
Prakt. Übungen mit Protokoll und Vortrag, Seminar
Masterstudiengang
OM-06: Orientierungsmodul „Einführung in die Pflanzenwissenschaften“, 1. Semester
Vorlesungen, prakt. Übungen, Abschlussklausur
SP1-06: Schwerpunktmodul 1 „Pflanzenwissenschaften“, 2. Semester
SP1-06: Schwerpunktmodul 1 „Pflanzenwissenschaften“, 2. Semester
Vorlesungen, prakt. Übungen mit Protokoll, Seminar
SP2-11: Schwerpunktmodul 2 „Spezielle Themen der Pflanzenwissenschaften“, 3. Semester
SP2-11: Schwerpunktmodul 2 „Spezielle Themen der Pflanzenwissenschaften“, 3. Semester
Vorlesungen, 2 x 4 Wochen Laborprojekte mit Protokoll
Weitere Informationen über die einzelnen Veranstaltungen finden Sie in den Modulhandbüchern, zu finden unter: http://www.bio.uni-freiburg.de/studium/qm/modulhandbuecher.
Are you looking for an exciting research opportunity for your bachelor’s or master’s thesis? Look no further!
- Are you interested in one of the biggest challenges in modern agriculture? – Elke Barbez
- Do you want to uncover how plant cell walls talk back to stress? – Jędrzej Dobrogojski
- Are you interested in uncovering ancient hormone signalling? Investigating PILS-like proteins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. – Nibedita Priyadarshini
- What is the subcellular control mechanism of endogenous auxin phenylacetic acid in plants? – Kristýna Bieleszová
- How did the auxin efflux carrier (AEC) transporters evolve? – Chengzhi Ren
- Curious how mineral nutrients affect signaling processes at the cell wall? – Paulina Ramirez
- Ever wondered how auxin oscillations vary under different light and temperature conditions? – Sophie Farkas
We are seeking motivated and curious students to join our team to investigate the mechanisms that make plants so special. Scroll down to find out more about each project.
Are you interested in one of the biggest challenges in modern agriculture?
Elke Barbez
Do you want to make a contribution to reducing fertilizer usage and its negative impact on the environment? Then consider joining our research team and embark on an exciting journey to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying nutrient mining in plant roots. We are looking for a motivated and ambitious candidate to investigate the role of cell wall charge in nutrient acquisition. Our hypothesis is that the cell wall charge is dynamically controlled to optimize the uptake of cationic nutrients, and we aim to dissect this process at the molecular level. With our innovative molecular tools, we will assess the contribution of pectin-dependent cell wall charge and mechanistically dissect how nutrient availability impacts it. In addition, we will identify and characterize novel molecular players in the adaptive regulation of root cell wall charge. This project will establish a new research niche in a highly relevant area of plant development, and you will have the opportunity to make a long term contribution to reducing fertilizer usage and its negative impact on the environment. Join our team and be a part of a cutting-edge research project that has the potential to revolutionize modern agriculture. Apply now to become a part of this exciting opportunity!
jump back to the summary of research questions
Do you want to uncover how plant cell walls talk back to stress?
Jędrzej Dobrogojski
Are you fascinated by how plants sense and respond to their environment? Would you like to dive into the biochemical mysteries of the cell wall and help uncover its role in plant stress resilience? Then join our research team and explore how the extracellular matrix — once seen as a mere structural support — actively participates in signaling pathways that determine plant survival. Could its hidden chemistry fine-tune redox signals?
During our thesis project you will have an opportunity to work with Arabidopsis lines with altered cell wall composition, advanced redox sensors, and stress treatments to uncover how the extracellular matrix speaks back to the cell. The answers may challenge what we think we know about plant-environment communication.
- In vitro biochemical assays for redox-active compounds
- Histochemical and fluorescence-based detection of oxidative changes
- Live-cell imaging of redox dynamics using biosensors
- Root development analysis under environmental stress
- Genetic and molecular tools to probe cell wall chemistry
- Training in data interpretation, teamwork, and scientific communication
jump back to the summary of research questions
Are you interested in uncovering ancient hormone signalling? Investigating PILS-like proteins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Nibedita Priyadarshini
Auxin is a key regulator of plant development, with its intracellular distribution mediated by specialized carrier proteins. Among them, PIN-LIKES (PILS) proteins localize to the endoplasmic reticulum and modulate nuclear auxin access in land plants. Interestingly, homologues of PILS are also found in unicellular green algae like Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which lack canonical auxin signaling components, raising questions about the ancestral role of these proteins.
This project aims to investigate the localization and function of PILS-like proteins in Chlamydomonas, shedding light on their potential involvement in intracellular signaling pathways that may predate land plant evolution. The project will combine bioinformatics (phylogenetic analysis, transmembrane domain prediction), molecular cloning of PILS homologues into GFP-tagged expression vectors, and confocal microscopy for subcellular localization in Chlamydomonas and heterologous systems such as Arabidopsis thaliana. Functional characterization will involve the use of CLiP insertional mutants, coupled with phenotypic assays under exogenous hormone treatments.
This project is ideal for both bachelor’s and master’s students, offering a flexible scope, to learn techniques such as PCR, DNA cloning, microscopy, physiological assays in green algae and protein expression. This project offers an exciting opportunity to investigate the evolutionary origins of auxin signaling and the potential for PILS proteins to function as auxin transporters.
jump back to the summary of research questions
What is the subcellular control mechanism of endogenous auxin phenylacetic acid in plants?
Kristýna Bieleszová
Are you curious about how small molecules orchestrate plant growth and development? As the most abundant auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) has been extensively studied in plants, whereas the potentially deviating functions of other endogenous auxins, including phenylacetic acid (PAA), are largely unknown.
In this project, we will investigate the subcellular regulation and function of PAA, focusing on its interaction with PILS proteins, which mediate intracellular auxin compartmentalisation and influence cellular signaling. PILS are structurally similar to the well-characterised PIN auxin efflux carriers, but their substrate binding site is predicted to be smaller. Based on structural considerations, we hypothesize that PAA, as a smaller auxin molecule, may preferentially interact with PILS proteins. We will explore PILS-dependent effects of PAA, which will allow us to dissect the subcellular competition of auxins and link it to PILS-dependent growth control.
What you can learn and do:
- Analyze expression patterns using auxin-responsive marker lines
- Work with synthetic auxin analogs and related compounds to evaluate their biological activity and accumulation patterns
- Perform phenotypic analyses to assess auxin-mediated effects on plant growth and development
- Investigate transcriptional changes in response to auxin treatments
jump back to the summary of research questions
How did the auxin efflux carrier (AEC) transporters evolve?
Chengzhi Ren – current master student Robin Laser
jump back to the summary of research questions
Curious how mineral nutrients affect signaling processes at the cell wall?
Paulina Ramirez – current master student Miriam Kaltwasser, current bachelor student Carla Muser
In this project, we explore how the plant cell wall—a dynamic and complex structure—interacts with mineral nutrients. One key player is pectin, a negatively charged polysaccharide that helps shape the physical and chemical environment of the wall. This charge arises through the activity of Pectin Methyl Esterases (PMEs), enzymes that are tightly controlled by PME inhibitors (PMEi’s).
The negative charge of pectin allows it to attract and bind positively charged molecules, including mineral nutrients like calcium and iron, as well as small signalling peptides that help regulate growth and stress responses. We’re especially interested in how these interactions—between nutrients and peptides—are sensed at the cell wall, how they affect each other, and how they contribute to the dynamic regulation of the wall’s charge. This research gives insight into how plants adapt to changes in their environment by fine-tuning cell wall properties.
jump back to the summary of research questions
Ever wondered how auxin oscillations vary under different light and temperature conditions?
Sophie Farkas
Are you curious about how plants respond to environmental cues and optimize their root architecture for growth and productivity? This project investigates auxin oscillations in Arabidopsis thaliana roots and their role in shaping the root system architecture. Auxin is a key hormone that regulates lateral root formation, thus impacting the plant’s ability to access water and nutrients. We use the auxin reporter line DR5::LUC to monitor hormonal changes in vivo over time. By exposing plants to various light conditions and mild heat stress, we observe how environmental conditions influence the oscillatory auxin patterns. Additionally, we work with specific mutant lines to genetically alter these patterns to further explore and understand hormonal changes. To untangle this, we apply tools from programming languages (R, Python, Matlab) to analyze the time series data. This interdisciplinary approach combines plant biology with quantitative data analysis and image processing. Join us to contribute to cutting-edge research in plant root biology and gain experience in computational analysis.
jump back to the summary of research questions