PlantaSYST position: PhD Student

Location (Dept., Institute): Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Germany

Carlos Andrés Toro Acevedo holds a bachelor degree in industrial chemistry and a master degree in biochemistry and immunology. During his undergraduate research project he studied the impact of light on the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.

In his master thesis he worked on the immunosuppression by repetitive domains on the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.

I have also participated in research projects in the area of regenerative medicine (differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into cartilage) and also in the screening of natural plant extracts to identify molecules with anti-parasitic capacity against the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.

 During his PhD thesis, Carlos will work on the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, an arisen model organism for basal land plant studies, which is also an interesting and new host for synthetic biology approaches. The project aims at establishing and optimizing the production of valuable components, e.g. terpenes or flavonoids in interesting organelles like chloroplasts and oil bodies.