Research  

My work is focused on understanding the functional basis of nitrogen remobilization and redistribution from senescing leaves. In this context, my laboratory has a special interest in proteolytic enzymes responsible for the degradation of major (plastidial) leaf proteins at the onset of the senescence process. A second project strives to understand the molecular biology and biochemistry of wheat polyphenol oxidases (“PPOs”), a gene family involved in (undesirable) darkening of wheat products.
Research in my laboratory has been supported by the USDA-NRI (grants #01-01019 and 05-02022), by the US Barley Genome Project, and by the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology (grants #04-10 and 06-10).

Area of responsibility  

Research in cereal physiology and biochemistry. Identification of metabolic processes limiting for cereal quality and yield. The mechanistics of nitrogen remobilization from senescing leaves to grains and the biochemistry of cereal polyphenol oxidases, as related to cereal quality, are central in my research program. Teaching of the introductory biotechnology class (PS 101CS / MB 110CS / VTMB 101CS; every fall), of one section of the introductory biotechnology laboratory class (PS 212; every spring) and of an upper division class in plant metabolism (PS 460; taught in spring every other year). Advising of ~20 freshman and sophomore biotechnology students.

Education

Please note: The Swiss university system differs from the U.S. system. There is no equivalent to a B.S. degree, and the "diploma" mentioned below is roughly the equivalent of a MS degree.
Diploma   Botany                                     University of Bern, Switzerland      1989
Ph.D.        Plant Physiology                      University of Bern, Switzerland      1993

Memberships in professional societies

American Society of Plant Biologists

Recent professional activities

Ad-hoc reviewer for a number of journals including “Plant Physiology”, “Plant Molecular Biology”, “Plant & Cell Physiology” and “Phytochemistry”. Review of research proposals for NSF, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK) and U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation.

Committee memberships

Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology Undergraduate Studies Committee; Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology Promotion and Tenure Committee; University Library Committee.

Courses taught

PS 101CS / VTMB 101CS / MB 110CS: Introduction to biotechnology (cross listed; taught every fall)
PS 212: Methods of biotechnology (one two-week section; taught every spring)
PS 460: Plant metabolism (taught spring semester, every other year, to be taught spring 2007, 2009)

Publications from 1998 to present

Refereed Journals

Parrott D.L., McInnerney K., Feller U. and Fischer A.M. (2007) Carbohydrate accumulation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves leads to senescence and protease gene induction. In preparation.

Jukanti A.K., Bruckner P.L. and Fischer A.M. (2006) Molecular and biochemical characterization of polyphenol oxidases in developing kernels and senescing leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Funct. Plant Biol. 33, 685-696. DOI: 10.1071/FP06050

Parrott D., Yang L., Shama S. and Fischer A.M. (2005) Senescence is accelerated, and several proteases are induced by carbon “feast” conditions in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. Planta 222, 989-1000. DOI: 10.1007/s00425-005-0042-x

Murphy K.A., Kuhle R.A., Fischer A.M., Anterola A.M. and Grimes H.D. (2005) The functional status of paraveinal mesophyll vacuoles changes in response to altered metabolic conditions in soybean leaves. Funct. Plant Biol. 32, 335-344.

Martin J.M., Berg J.E., Fischer A.M., Jukanti A.K., Kephart K.D., Kushnak G.D., Nash D. and Bruckner P.L. (2005) Divergent selection for polyphenol oxidase and its influence on agronomic, milling, bread, and Chinese raw noodle quality traits. Crop Sci. 45, 85-91.

Yang L., Mickelson S., See D., Blake T.K. and Fischer A.M. (2004) Genetic analysis of the function of major leaf proteases in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) nitrogen remobilization. J. Exp. Bot. 55, 2607-2616.

Jukanti A.K., Bruckner P.L. and Fischer A.M. (2004) Evaluation of wheat polyphenol oxidase genes. Cereal Chem. 81, 481-485.

Jukanti A.K., Bruckner P.L.,  Habernicht D.L., Foster C.R.,  Martin J.M. and Fischer A.M. (2003) Extraction and activation of wheat polyphenol oxidase by detergents: Biochemistry and applications. Cereal Chem. 80, 712-716.

Lanning S.P., Habernicht D., Martin J.M., Sherman J.D., Fischer A. and Talbert L.E. (2003) Agronomic and quality performance of progeny lines derived from spring wheat by durum wheat crosses. Cereal Chem. 80, 717-721.

Mickelson S., See D., Meyer F.D., Garner J.P., Foster C.R., Blake T.K. and Fischer A.M. (2003) Mapping of QTL associated with nitrogen storage and remobilization in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. J. Exp. Bot. 54, 801-812.

Smidansky E.D., Martin J.M., Hannah L.C., Fischer A.M. and Giroux M.J. (2003) Seed yield and plant biomass increases in rice are conferred by deregulation of endosperm ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Planta 216, 656-664

Fuller M., Weichert H., Fischer A., Feussner I. and Grimes H. (2001) Activity of soybean lipoxygenase isoforms against esterified fatty acids indicates functional specificity. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 38, 146-154.

Fischer A.M., Dubbs W.E., Baker R.A., Fuller M.A., Stephenson L.C. and Grimes H.D. (1999) Protein dynamics, activity, and cellular localization of soybean lipoxygenases indicate novel functional roles for individual isoforms. Plant J. 19, 543-554.

Jauh G.-Y., Fischer A.M., Grimes H.D., Ryan C.A. and Rogers J.C. (1998) d-tonoplast intrinsic protein defines unique plant vacuole functions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, 12995-12999.

Fischer A., Brouquisse R. and Raymond P. (1998) Influence of senescence and of carbohydrate levels on the pattern of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) leaf proteases. Physiol. Plant. 102, 385-395.

Book chapter

Fischer A.M. (2007) Nutrient recycling during leaf senescence. In: Senescence processes in plants. S. Gan, ed. Blackwell, Sheffield, UK (to be published April 2007).

Contributions to scientific meetings

Parrott D., McInnerney K. and Fischer A.M. (2006) Functional analysis of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) nitrogen recycling. Poster, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) in Boston.

Parrott D., Yang L., Blake T. and Fischer A.M. (2005) Functional analysis of nitrogen recycling during barley leaf senescence. Poster, presented at the 2005 meeting of the International Triticeae mapping initiative.

Fischer A.M. (2004) Functional analysis of cereal leaf senescence using a genetic approach. Oral presentation at the Gordon Research Conference on Plant Senescence, Mt Holyoke, MA.

Yang L., Mickelson S., Blake T. and Fischer A. (2003) Functional analysis of nitrogen recycling from senescing cereal leaves. Poster, presented at the South Dakota Plant Physiology / Plant Biochemistry Symposium, Brookings, SD.

Mickelson S., See D., Meyer F.D., Garner J.P., Foster C.R., Blake T.K. and Fischer A.M. (2002) Mapping of QTL associated with nitrogen storage and remobilization in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. Poster, presented at the North American Barley Researchers Workshop, Fargo, ND.

Fischer A.M., Meyer F.D., Garner J.P., Foster C.R and Blake T.K. (2002) Mapping of QTLs associated with nitrogen storage and remobilization in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Poster, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) in Denver, CO.

Xueyan S., Smidansky E., Talbert L., Fischer A. and Giroux M. (2002) Enhanced AGP activity in wheat endosperm effects upon plant metabolic pathways. Poster, presented at the ASPB Annual Meeting in Denver, CO.

Fischer, A.M., Dubbs W.E., Baker R.A., Fuller M.A., Stephenson L.C. and Grimes H.D. (1999) Immunolocalization and biochemical characterization of soybean lipoxygenases. Poster, presented at the ASPB Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD.

Grimes H.D., Fischer A.M., Dubbs, W.E., Baker R.A., Fuller M.A., Stephenson L.C. (1999) Lipoxygenase function in assimilate partitioning. Oral presentation by H.D.G at the ASPB Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD.

Stephenson L.C., Fischer A.M., Fuller M.A. and Grimes H.D. (1998) Characterization of soybean vegetative lipoxygenases. Poster, presented at the ASPP Annual Meeting in Madison, WI.