Heuer, Sigrid

Dr. Sigrid Heuer

Senior Scientist (Molecular Biology of Abiotic Stresses)
 

stafdir heuer


Expertise

  • Molecular biology of abiotic stresses
  • Molecular markers
  • Submergence and heat stress
  • Phosphorus deficiency tolerance
  • Root development and plant reproduction

 

Contacts

s.heuer _at_ irri.org  
+63 2 580 5600 (ext. 2761)
IRRI headquarters
 

Links

Dr. Sigrid Heuer is a molecular biologist working on abiotic stress tolerance in rice.

Current activities

Sigrid is mainly involved with projects on abiotic stress tolerance in rice. These projects are positioned at the interphase of upstream and downstream research and implemented by an international, multidisciplinary team. The major goals of these projects are to (i) understand the function of tolerance genes that are derived from stress-tolerant rice varieties and (ii) to develop molecular markers for targeted selection of stress-tolerant plants in rice breeding programs.

Dr. Sigrid Heuer talks to the BBC about the research she led that discovered the PSTOL1 gene that helps rice thak up phosphorus.

Her ongoing research includes:
 

  1. Identification and characterization of candidate genes at the Pup1 locus, a major QTL for tolerance of phosphorus deficiency. Development of molecular markers for marker-assisted breeding of Pup1 introgression lines for P-deficient rice soils. 
  2. Development of rice varieties that maintain spikelet fertility under high temperature conditions: Heat tolerance genes and heat avoiding early morning flowering rice varieties. 
  3. Molecular characterization of the SUB1A submergence tolerance gene. Development of molecular marker for marker-assisted breeding of Sub1 mega varieties. 
  4. Identification of genes and mechanisms to enhance root growth and nutrient uptake in rice. Transcriptome sequencing of aus-type varieties and other activities initiated.

Background

Prior to her current area of research at IRRI, Sigrid was researching the fertilization-independent formation of embryo, endosperm, and pericarp for apomictic hybrid rice.

She also spent some time in Africa as an associated scientist at Africa Rice Center (formerly WARDA), St. Louis (Senegal). During this time she worked on a project to analyze the sterility phenomena in inter-specific hybrids of Oryza sativa indica (L.) x Oryza glaberrima (Steud).

Education

  • PhD 1999, (molecular biology), University of Hamburg (Germany) 
  • MSc 1995, (plant physiology), University of Hamburg (Germany) 
  • Undergraduate studies 1994, (biology), Philipps University Marburg/Lahn (Germany)

Work history

  • Senior Scientist I, Plant Breeding Genetics and Biotechnology Division (PBGB), IRRI (2011-present)
  • Scientist, molecular biology, Plant Breeding Genetics and Biotechnology Division (PBGB), IRRI (2009-2010)
  • Part-time scientist, molecular biology, Plant Breeding Genetics and Biotechnology Division (PBGB), IRRI, Projects: Identification and characterization of the major genetic determinants in the major tolerance QTLs Submergence 1 (Sub1) and Phosphorus uptake 1 (Pup1). (2005 – 2009)
  • Consultant, IRRI, Plant Breeding Genetics and Biotechnology division, Project: Fertilization-independent formation of embryo, endosperm and pericarp for apomictic hybrid rice. (2003 – 2004)
  • Associated Scientist, AfricaRice (formerly WARDA-ADRAO), Senegal (2001-2002)
  • DAAD Post doc scholar, AfricaRice, Senegal (2000-2001)

Selected recent publications

  1. Rico Gamuyao, Joong Hyoun Chin, Juan Pariasca-Tanaka, Paolo Pesaresi, Sheryl Catausan, Cheryl Dalid, Inez Slamet-Loedin, Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Matthias Wissuwa & Sigrid Heuer. The protein kinase Pstol1 from traditional rice confers tolerance of phosphorus deficiency. Nature 488, 535–539 (23 August 2012). This article has a Faculty of 1000 recommendation.
  2. Yang S-Y, Grønlund M, Jakobsen I, Rentsch D, Miyao A, Hirochika H, Kumar CS, Sundaresan V, Salamin N, Catausan S, Mattes N, Heuer S, Gheyselinck J, Paszkowski U (2012). Non-redundant Control of Rice Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis by two Phosphate Transporters. Under review.
  3. Vinod KK and Heuer S (2012). Approaches towards nitrogen and phosphorus efficient rice. In M. Jackson (Ed) Improving crop tolerance to stress. Under review.
  4. Heuer S, Chin JH, Gamuyao R, Haefele SM, Wissuwa M (2012). Molecular breeding for phosphorus-efficient rice. In R. Varshney (Ed). Under review.
  5. Septiningsih EM, Collard BCY, Heuer S, Bailey-Serres J, Ismail AM, Mackill DJ (2012). Applying Genomics Tools for Breeding Submergence Tolerance in Rice. In R. Varshney (Ed). Under review.
  6. Septiningsih EM, Sanchez DL, Singh N, Sendon PMD, Pamplona AM, Heuer S, Mackill DJ (2011). Identifying novel QTLs for submergence tolerance in rice cultivars IR72 and Madabaru. Theor Appl Genet DOI 10.1007/s00122-011-1751-0.
  7. Rose TJ, Rose MT, Pariasca-Tanaka J, Heuer S, Wissuwa M (2011). The frustration with utilization: why have improvements in internal phosphorus utilization efficiency in crops remained so elusive? Frontiers in Plant Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fpls.2011.00073.
  8. Chin JH, Gamuyao R, Dalid C, Bustamam M, Prasetiyono J, Moeljopawiro S, Wissuwa M, Heuer S (2011). Developing rice with high yield under phosphorus deficiency: Pup1 sequence to application. Plant Physiol 156: 1202–1216.
  9. Jagadish SVK, Muthurajan R, ZW Rang, Malo R, Heuer S, Bennett J, Craufurd PQ (2011). Spikelet proteomic response to combined water deficit and heat stress in rice (Oryza sativa cv. N22). Rice DOI 10.1007/s12284-011-9059-x.
  10. Rang ZW, Jagadish SVK, Zhou QM, Craufurd OQ, Heuer S (2011). Effect of high temperature and water stress on pollen germination and spikelet fertility in rice. J Exp Bot 70: 58–65.

 

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