From September 18-22, 2017, we introduce you to 5 postdocs at the JGI in honor of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, which recognizes the contributions of these early career researchers. Through a series of hard-hitting questions, we find out what drives each one.
Kate Zhalnina, postdoc with Trent Northen in Metabolomics Technology
What do you work on? I study how plants use their exudation chemistry to tune up the composition of their rhizosphere in order to promote the growth of microorganisms that enhance plant fitness in different ecosystems. My project combines field, greenhouse and highly controlled lab experiments to examine the complex interplay among switchgrass, microbes, and their physio-chemical environment. Switchgrass, a perennial grass native to the tallgrass prairie, is one of the most promising bioenergy crops in the U.S. We hypothesize that beneficial switchgrass-microbial interactions can enable higher biomass yields, increase amounts of sequestered carbon and improve fertility of marginal soils.
When did you join JGI? 2015
Where did you join us from? University of Florida/ UC Berkeley
What drives your passion outside of JGI? Tango
What’s your favorite dessert? Tiramisu
What could the letters JGI stand for other than “Joint Genome Institute”? Jumping Group Ionization
What do you appreciate most about JGI? Ping-pong table, small pond with frogs, great teams and personalities, great science