Romanowski Group - The TimES Lab
Plants can tell time. Like most organisms that have adapted to Earth’s ~24h cycle, plants have developed an internal timekeeping mechanism known as the circadian clock, that allows them to predict rhythmic environmental variations and influences their responses to external cues.
Welcome to the Timing of Environmental Signalling (TimES) lab - Romanowski group. Our lab is dedicated to unravelling the fascinating relationship between the circadian clock and environmental signals, with a particular focus on understanding how this interaction influences plant plasticity. Through cutting-edge methods spanning different fields of research, we explore how the circadian clock affects the adaptability and resilience of plants. Our work holds significant promise for the field of agriculture, as it sheds light on the potential to improve plant productivity and contribute to crop enhancement programs. While our primary model organism is the 'workhorse' plant Arabidopsis thaliana, we are also at the forefront of establishing pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) as a translational crop model, thus extending the relevance of our findings to real-world agricultural applications. We are on a journey to unlock the secrets of plant-environment interactions and revolutionise the future of sustainable agriculture.
At the TimES lab, we are firmly committed to fostering an equal, diverse, collaborative, and inclusive environment that enriches our research culture. We believe that the contributions of individuals from all backgrounds and perspectives are key to improving the outcome of our scientific endeavours. We are driven by a passion for scientific discovery, open science and a commitment to addressing critical challenges in agriculture. With a strong foundation in plant biology, phenotyping, genetics, molecular biology, photobiology, bioinformatics and chronobiology, we seek to understand the fundamental mechanisms that govern how plants respond to their environment. Through collaborative research and our expertise in molecular biology, circadian rhythms, genomics, and systems biology, we are at the forefront of pioneering research that seeks to optimise plant responses to varying environmental conditions. Our ultimate goal is to translate the knowledge we gain to fuel advancements in crop improvement programs, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture. We invite you to explore our lab's exciting work and be a part of our goal to create a sustainable and more productive future.