Det Jordbrugsvidenskabelige Fakultet
Biologist investigates phosphate metabolism in wheat
"Phosphate is a growth limiting factor for all living organisms", says Giuseppe Dionisio, Research Scientist at The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University.
Giuseppe Dionisio has a B.Sc. in biology and a Ph.D. in agricultural chemistry from University of Catania, Italy (1999) with 6 months as a Ph.D. exchange student at Department of Horticulture, North Carolina State University, USA. He continued as post doc researcher at the Agrarian Faculty, University of Catania (1999-2001) and then he moved to Denmark to Department of Plant Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (2002-2003). In 2003 he became a project scientist at the Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University.
Descrive your research briefly.
As a student I studied the biochemistry of isoforms of the enzyme hexokinase. This enzyme catalyzes the first step in glycolysis, a metabolic pathway that is present in all living organisms. As a Ph.D. student I focused on key enzymes in plant nitrogen metabolism: nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase. As Post Doc researcher I entered the field of molecular biology and I studied recombinant plant enzymes expressed in yeast or bacteria. My current field of research is the phosphate metabolism in developing wheat seeds. I use a multidisciplinary approach, ranging from the transcriptomic analysis (microarray) to molecular biology (cloning and expressing enzymes).
Figure 1. Contamination of the cultures is prevented by working under sterile conditions.
What was your first experiment as a child (with pets, siblings, insects, household chemicals etc.)?
My first experiment was to play with colors, trying to mix them to getting out some new colors.
What made you study biology?
Since high school I have been interested in biology so my choice of biology came naturally. During my studies I practiced a biochemical approach and became fascinated by the study of proteins.
What is so interesting about plants?
My main interest is the use of plants as human and animal nutrition. Besides primary carbohydrates, proteins and oils, plants contain important inorganic nutrients and organic compounds derived from their secondary metabolism. Micronutrients are as essential as macronutrients, but they are often bound in chelates. Let us find a way to build “smart plants” with the ability to store these microelements in a bio-available form.
Which places in the world have your study and work brought you?
Except for six months at North Carolina State University, USA I spent most of my as a student in Italy. Later my job has brought me to meetings and conferences in Europe, and since 2003 I have worked in Denmark.
Do you ever spend time on anything but research?
Usually you can recognize a researcher immediately from common people because he is always thinking. Scientific problems are in his mind even when he is studying a foreign language, enjoying a pizza or playing bowling. So I think that doing research is a lifestyle.
Do you have a message/something you would like to tell?
A scientific discovery is indeed an understanding of a greeter “scientific” project of God, the “Nature”, not finished yet because in continuing evolution.