Tomato research in Southampton
I have long aspired to pursue international career experience. From my home country of Uganda I travelled to the University of Ghent (Belgium) to study for my master’s degree, then I obtained my PhD at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz, Austria). Currently, I am an Erwin Schrödinger Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Southampton (United Kingdom). All these experiences have had a special impact on my life, especially the latter. I consider myself privileged to be called an Erwin Schrödinger Fellow, and find myself at a cross-road of determining a career path.
I was very interested in joining the Cernava Lab at the University of Southampton because I had previously worked on several publications with Tomislav Cernava. He has deep insights into the field of plant and seed microbial ecology, which is the field of research I am undertaking. He has also ventured into a completely novel area of research, examining the role of the so-called microbiome (M) genes in microbiome assembly.
Seed microbiomes – a novel approach
My research examines the crucial role of the seed microbiome in sustainable agriculture. Research is increasingly revealing the crucial roles of microorganisms in humans, animals, and nature. Interestingly, the seed, as the beginning and end of the plant cycle, has also been shown to contain a specialized microbiome. In my research, I focus on examining the tomato seed microbiome. In one of my projects, I am examining the plasticity in tomato seed microbiota, using a large set of seed microbiome data from 100 tomato cultivars.
The tomato is an economically important crop, whose genetic diversity originates from the Andes region of South America. However, it also has a secondary center of genetic diversity in Europe (Italy and Spain). My research seeks to explore the variability in the tomato seed microbiome, with the goal of exploiting the seed microbiome in sustainable agriculture. Given the central role of seeds in the dispersal of flowering plants, their microbiome could be crucial in predetermining plant vigor across generations.
Researchers have discovered that seeds also maintain a specialized microbiome. Schrödinger Fellow Expedito Olimi is studying the seeds of an economically important crop, the tomato, in order to preserve their vitality and diversity.
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Change of environment is crucial
A change of environment is crucial if you want to start thinking outside the box, and my international experience demonstrates this well. With the current fellowship, I managed to learn various skills to effectively multitask; such techniques include compartmentalizing and prioritizing. The staff and doctoral students at the University of Southampton are very open for professional discussions in a working environment that fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration between research groups. Most importantly, I have managed to extend my academic network while participating in national and international workshops, training courses, and symposia.
I have also contributed to the writing of proposals for third-party research funding; this has enhanced my skills in pitching fundable ideas. In my scientific work, I have gained new techniques regarding experimentation and analysis high-throughput single-cell sequencing datasets, which is crucial in understanding organism physiology or factors contributing to their healthy and disease states.
Making friends in the pub
The United Kingdom is an academic country with a league of universities categorized into the so-called Russels group, and features top 24 UK universities. Therefore, the country is a melting pot of academic culture, with students from various countries and cultures. As for the English people, I would describe them as modest, witty, and easy to make friends with. During my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been well inducted into the English pub culture, which has enabled me to socialize and widen my network beyond laboratory benchwork and scholarly writing.
Last but not least
I would like to express sincere gratitude to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for approving my proposal for an Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship. Also, I am grateful to my host Tomislav Cernava, my PhD supervisor Gabriele Berg, as well as Lindy Holden-Dye, Phil Williamson, and Vincent O’Connor for their continued invaluable support during this research visit to the UK.
