Prospective Students

What is it like working with Arabidopsis?

Working on Arabidopsis is much like working on any other model organism (e.g. Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, etc). It is small and has a rapid generation time which facilitates genetic analysis, such as mutant screens. The genome has been completely sequenced; there are about 27,000 genes, approximately the same number as humans. Many other tools are also available, such as microarrays and knock-out collections. Arabidopsis is also very easy to transform, making it simple to manipulate gene expression, use reporter genes, etc.

What sorts of techniques are used in the Michaels lab?

Our lab, like many modern labs, it more interested in a fundamental biological question rather than a particular technique. In short, we try to make use of any techniques that we believe are likely to provide insight into the molecular nature of the regulation of flowering time. These include mutant screens, double mutant analysis, gene overexpression, reporter genes, gene expression analysis, microarrays, and
protein-interaction studies.

Are there other labs working on Arabidopsis at Indiana University?

Absolutely, IU is a fantastic place to work with Arabidopsis! There are five labs that focus on Arabidopsis in the biology department (Michaels, Innes, Hangarter, Estelle, and Shaw). All five are located on the 3rd floor of Myers hall. Having so many Arabidopsis researchers in close proximity provides constant opportunities for interaction. In addition to the groups working on Arabidopsis, there is also a diverse group of researchers working on other plants.

Is previous experience with plants required?

Not at all. Personally (Scott Michaels) I have a B.S. in chemistry and had no experience with plants at all when I began working with Arabidopsis in graduate school. Although we work on a plant-specific problem (flowering time), the majority of the techniques we use are common to any molecular biology lab (e.g. PCR, cloning, microarrays, protein interaction studies). Once you get the DNA or RNA out of the organism, it is pretty much all the same!

How do I apply for admission to graduate school at Indiana University?

Follow the link! If you are interested in a particular lab, feel free to contact the PI. They can help to make sure that your application makes it through the screening process.

Click Here to Apply for Graduate School at Indiana University