New Publication - Failure to Maintain Acetate Homestasis by Acetate-Activating Enzymes Impacts Plant Development
January 15, 2020
Congratulation to Xinyu Fu, Yang H, Pangestu F, and Basil Nikolau on their new Plant Physiology article "Failure to Maintain Acetate Homestasis by Acetate-Activating Enzymes Impacts Plant Development". It is a cover page !!!!!
Failure to Maintain Acetate Homeostasis by Acetate-Activating Enzymes Impacts Plant Development
New publication in Plant Physiology
December 13, 2019
Congratulation to Kiran Shivaiah, Geng Ding, Bryon Upton and Basil Nikolau on their new Plant Physiology article "Non-catalytic subunits facilitate quaternary organization of plastidic acetyl-CoA carboxylase"
Non-Catalytic Subunits Facilitate Quaternary Organization of Plastidic Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase
Lunch is always good time with lab members - In Cornbread restaurant
October 17, 2019
Farewell lunch for Xinyu before she leaves for new position at Michigan State
May 31, 2019
Xinyu Fu (second from the left/first row) defended her PhD thesis. Here with the lab friend: On the her right Lisa Vaknin, on her left Liza Alexander, Sara Hazinia, and Luda Rhizsky. Second row- LucasShowman, Kenna Stenback, Libuse Brachova, Elizabeth Chatt, Geng Ding and Troy Bunch.
New publication from Nikolau group
May 29, 2019
New publication "Altering the substrate specificity of acetyl-CoA synthetase by rational mutagenesis of the carboxylate binding pocket" by Nazneen Sofeo, Hart JH, Butler B, Oliver DJ, Yandeau-Nelson MD and Basil Nikolau in - ACS Synth Biol!!! Congratulation
Congratulations to Kenna Stenback for the award "Graduate Mentor of the Year"
May 13, 2019
Kenna- "Graduate Student Mentor of the Year" for the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. Kenna has been mentoring the McNair Scholar, Iliana Castillo-Machuca since Fall of 2018.
Proposal and PhD dissertation defended: Congratulation to Dr. Chatt
April 24, 2019
Elizabeth Chatt defended her PhD thesis: "Integrated ‘omics’ characterization of conserved nectar production mechanisms using floral and extrafloral eudicot nectaries" on April 18, 2019. On the picture celebration with the lab friends (from l-r Sara, Elizabeth, Kenna, Xinyu, and Liza.
The second picture - the lab first proposal in the lab. And it is not a grant proposal, we had plenty of those. (And she said "yes").
Trang Huang and Kenna Stenback at Stupka Symposium
April 9, 2019
Two Nikolau Group members presented their research at the Stupka Symposyum 2019 at Iowa State University. Pictured here are Trang Huang and her mentor Kenna Stenback.
Saying good bye to Kiran. And good luck at Michigan State
April 2, 2019
Good luck, Naazneen.
March 20, 2019
Good luck Naaz!!!!
New publication
March 16, 2019
Congratulation to the latest publication by Alexis Campbell, Kenna Stenback, Kayla Flyckt, Hoang T, Ann Perera, and Basil Nikolau. A single-cell platform for reconstituting and characterizing fatty acid elongase component enzymes.
Lab celebrate Liza Alexander achievement. Liza defended her Ph.D thesis Feb 11, 2019.
February 15, 2019
New publication from Nikolau group
January 7, 2019
Combined use of cutinase and high-resolution mass-spectrometry to query the molecular architecture of cutin, authored by Bhunia RK, Showman LJ, Jose A, and Nikolau BJ
2 new publications from the members of our group - November 2018
November 14, 2018
Identification of Active Site Residue Implies a Two-step Catalytic Mechanism for Acyl-ACP Thioesterase. Authors are Jing F, Yandeau-Nelson MD, Nikolau B.
Heterotrimeric G-protein-dependent proteome and phosphoproteome in instimulated Arabidopsis roots. Authors are Song G, Brachova L, Nikolau BJ, Jones AM, Walley JW
Heterotrimeric G-Protein-Dependent Proteome and Phosphoproteome in Unstimulated Arabidopsis Roots
New publication - Light-Dependent Changes in the Spatial Localization of Metabolites in Solenostemon scutellarioides (Coleus Henna)
September 19, 2018
Check out our latest research article, published Sept 19, 2019 in Frontiers In Plant Science : "Light-Dependent Changes in the Spatial Localization of Metabolites in Solenostemon scutellarioides (Coleus Henna) Visualized by Matrix-Free Atmospheric Pressure Electrospray Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging", authored by Patrick McVey, Liza Alexander, Xinyu Fu, Bo Xie, K-J Galyada, Basil Nikolau, and Robert Houk.
2018 REU participants [Trang Hoang and William Breining] are finishing their program with a poster presentation
August 2, 2018
New publication - Sex-Dependent Variation of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima cv. Big Max) Nectar and Nectaries as Determined by Proteomics and Metabolomics
July 9, 2018
Our resent publication, published in Frontiers In Plant Science "Sex-Dependent Variation of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima cv. Big Max) Nectar and Nectaries as Determined by Proteomics and Metabolomics " with Elizabeth Chatt as the first author. Congratulation, Elizabeth.
Congratulation to Liza Alexander! She has received very competitive BIP postdoc fellowship.
July 06, 2018
Liza Alexander will join Reuben Peters’ lab as a postdoctoral fellow studying molecules with medicinal applications, thanks to the inaugural Bioscience Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowship.
The fellowship was established through generous support by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust to contribute to breakthrough science in biomedically focused research.
At Iowa State University, the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (BBMB); the Departments of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology (GDCB); Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology (EEOB); and Chemistry serve as the center of the university’s basic biological sciences and biomedical research.
Alexander was chosen from sixty-nine applicants in these areas. The support from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust will provide a highly competitive stipend, the opportunity to work alongside highly-respected researchers, mentoring, career preparation and professional development support.
Nikolau group celebrates
May 14, 2018
The Nikolau research group held another epic potluck on May 11, this time honoring leader Basil Nikolau who begins a one-year appointment with the National Science Foundation on May 14, Kiran-Kumar Shivaiah who successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on May 1, Sara Hazinia who passed her Ph.D. preliminary exam on May 11, and Kathy Wiederin who will retire June 30. Congratulations to all!
Nikolau group members present at Stupka Symposium
April 9, 2018
Five Nikolau Group students presented their research at the 2018 Stupka Symposium held April 5 in the Molecular Biology Building on the ISU campus. Jena Gilbertson (senior, biochemistry) and Drew Tonsager (BS-MS, biochemistry) were two of only three students selected to make oral presentations. Katelyn Campbell (senior, genetics), Rachel Garlock (senior, biology) and Liza Alexander (PhD student in molecular, cellular and developmental biology) were among students selected to make poster presentations. Our congratulations to all presenters, along with their mentors!
New publication - Two distinct domains contribute to the substrate acyl chain length selectivity of plant acyl-ACP thioesterase
March 19, 2018
Check out our latest research article, published February 28 in Nature Communications: "Two distinct domains contribute to the substrate acyl chain length selectivity of plant acyl-ACP thioesterase," authored by Fuyuan Jing, Le Zhao, Marna Yandeau-Nelson and Basil Nikolau.
Video explains plant fats & oils
March 5, 2018
Nikolau group PhD student Xinyu Fu has created an educational video explaining plant fats and oils. This is an independent project created for the ASPB (American Society of Plant Biologists) Conviron Scholars Program that aims at communicating plant science to the broader public. Great job, Xinyu - clear, concise and enlightening!
Celebration Potluck
November 20, 2017
On November 17, the Nikolau research group held a Celebration Potluck honoring members Rupam Bhunia, Alexis Campbell and Libuse Brachova.
Postdoc Rupam Bhunia, a recipient of the Government of India Ministry of Science & Technology INSPIRE award, will begin work January 1 at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Mohali, India, as a Department of Science & Technology (DST) INSPIRE faculty member. The INSPIRE award provides five years funding for independent research to outstanding postdoctoral researchers in the age group of 27-32 years. At the institute, Rupam's research will focus on genetic engineering to trigger oil content and stability in rice leaf and bran.
Associate scientist Alexis Campbell was recently named director of Science Bound and adjunct faculty by the College of Education, where she directs ISU's premier pre-college and college program focusing on increasing STEM identity and persistence for diverse young scholars. The program - partnering three school districts, students & families, teachers, industry partners and Iowa State - currently serves over 400 pre-college students and about 160 ISU undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees.
Lab manager Libuse Brachova was awarded the title Grandmother on October 13 when her daughter gave birth to a son. In her new position, Libuse is responsible for shamelessly pampering and spoiling her grandson.
Congratulations to Rupam, Alexis and Libuse!
Multistate LIPIDS group meets at ISU
September 18, 2017
Front row, L to R: Basil Nikolau, Tom Clemente, Eve Wurtele, Kathrin Schrick, Susanne Hoffman-Benning
Participating remotely were Ernie Minton, Ruth Welti and Sruthi Kutty.
On September 16-17, Basil Nikolau hosted the annual meeting of the USDA-funded Multistate Project, LIPIDS of Crops. This group of 20 scientists is studying lipid-related metabolism and traits relevant for crop improvement.
The multistate effort provides a framework to enhance collaboration and sharing of resources, expertise, and instrumentation to accelerate progress among the high concentration of plant lipid researchers in the North Central Region. Its goal is to improve and extend methods for lipid characterization and measurement, identify and characterize lipid-related metabolism and traits relevant for crop improvement, and develop crops with improved yield and/or functionality.
The North Central Regional group is one of the multistate research projects that the USDA manages through the Multistate Research and Activities program supported via the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES) from the Hatch Multistate Research Fund (MRF) provided by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Participants in the weekend workshop included Doug Allen (USDA); Edgar Cahoon and Tom Clemente (University of Nebraska, Lincoln); Ernie Minton, Timothy Durrett, Kathrin Schrick and Ruth Welti (Kansas State), Susanne Hoffman-Benning (Michigan State); Abe Koo, Jay Thelen and Sam Wang (U of Missouri); Om Parkash Dhankher (U of Massachusetts); Sruthi Kutty (Clemson); and Tong Wang, Eve Wurtele and Basil Nikolau (ISU). The meeting was held at Reiman Gardens on the Iowa State University campus in Ames.
Nikolau receives research award
September 13, 2017
Basil Nikolau was presented the Kolmer Applied Research Award at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Convocation held September 12 at the ISU Memorial Union. The award "honors faculty or staff who have made significant contributions to improving the welfare of Iowans by the application of their research." Way to go, Boss! We're proud of you.