Wang

Dr. Dafu Wang

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Institute of Genomic Biology
Department of Plant Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests:
My research interests have focused on molecular basis of photosynthetic events by characterizing the key photosynthetic enzymes and exploring the roles of novel genes in photosynthesis.

Current Research:
Current research is focused on the molecular and physiological basis of cold-tolerant C₄ photosynthesis in a rhizomatous perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus. The grass Miscanthus x giganteus is from the same taxonomic group as sugar cane, sorghum and maize, and uses the same NADP-malic enzyme C₄ photosynthetic pathway. However, the well-known high efficiency of CO2 fixation in C₄ crops like maize is lost at low temperatures (below 20^oC). Earlier studies from our lab showed that, in contrast to these closely-related C₄ species, M. x giganteus is capable of maintaining higher photosynthetic performance under low temperatures and achieves higher productivities than C₃ grasses at 52^oN. Understanding how this is achieved is critical to adapting maizeand other C₄ crops to colder climates or allowing them to make use of solar radiation over a longer period of the year.

Education:
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Advisor: Dr. Archie R Portis Jr.within the Department of Plant Biology. My research interests focused on i) studying the redox regulation of Rubisco activase and its interaction with Rubisco; ii) identifying and characterizing a novel chloroplast protein functioning in NDH-mediated chlororespiratory electron transport pathway. This research was guided by at the Photosynthesis Research Unit of USDA/ARS.

M.S., Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Science. Advisor: Professor Jia-Mian Wei in the Laboratory of Photosynthesis (Plant Biology). My research interests focused on structure and function of chloroplast CF₁-CF_o and photophosphorylation.

View Dafu Wang's Publications

Please feel free to contact me with questions and comments.

379 Edward R Madigan Laboratory
1201 W. Gregory Dr.
Urbana, IL, 61801
Phone: (217) 244-6317
Fax: (217) 244-7563 c/o Dr. Steve Long
Email Dafu

Stephen Long Lab