Monika Chodasiewicz, PhD

Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor in Plant Science

Location:

Building 2, level 3, office 3276

Social Profile:

Contact Information:

monika.chodasiewicz@kaust.edu.sa

Biography

Monika Chodasiewicz completed her PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Plant Physiology in Potsdam Germany in 2014. Her PhD research contributed significantly to the discovery of the oxygen sensing mechanism in plants, which was recognized by Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe in his 2019 Nobel lecture. She continued at Max Planck as a postdoctoral fellow studying small molecule-protein interactions using novel methods in biochemistry. Professor Chodasiewicz developed her research topic during this time, and formed her research group at the KAUST in 2020 to continue it. The research interest of Stress Granule Lab at KAUST is to study stress-specific cellular condensates such Stress Granules (SGs). Prof. Monika is an Executive committee member in the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Food Security where she leads the pillar on education and outreach. She is also a member of Center of Excellence on Smart Health where she is contributing with her research on SGs in mammalian cells.

Research Interests

Professor Chodasiewicz' s research focuses on identification of stress specific components (proteins, metabolites and mRNA) of stress granules (SGs) formed under different environmental conditions.

Professor Chodasiewicz's research group also aims to understand what are the stress specific components of desert plants which make them resistant to stressful environmental conditions. This research line involves studying small molecule-protein complexes with biochemical methods combined with molecular biology. The team intends to build a map of stress specific small molecule-protein complexes to further dissect the mode of action of stress specific complexes with molecular biology and cell biology methods.

Selected Publications

  • Kosmacz M., Gorka M., Schmidt S., Luzarowski M., Moreno J.C., Szlachetko J., Leniak E., Sokolowska E.M., Sofroni K., Schnittger A., Skirycz A. (2019) Protein and metabolite composition of Arabidopsis stress granules. New Phytologist – doi:10.1111/nph.15690
  • Kosmacz M., Luzarowski M., Kerber O., Leniak E., Gutiérrez-Beltrán E., Moreno J.C., Gorka M., Szlachetko J., Veyel D., Graf A., Skirycz A., (2018) Interaction of 2',3'-cAMP with Rbp47b plays a role in stress granule formation. Plant Physiology – doi: 10.1104/pp.18.00285
  • Veyel D., Sokolowska E., Moreno J.C., Kierszniowska S., Cichon J., Wojciechowska I., Luzarowski M., Kosmacz M., Szlachetko J., Méret M., Graf A., Meyer E., Willmitzer L., Skirycz A. (2018) PROMIS, global analysis of Protein–Metabolite Interactions using size separation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Biological Chemistry – doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.003351
  • Kosmacz M., Parlanti S., Schwarzlander M., Kragler F., Licausi F., van Dongen J.T. (2014) The stability and nuclear localization of the transcription factor RAP2.12 are dynamically regulated by oxygen concentration. Plant Cell and Environment – doi: 10.1111/pce.12493
  • Licausi F., Kosmacz M., Weits D., Giuntoli B., Giorgi F.M., Voesenek L.A.C.J., Perata P., and van Dongen J.T. (2011) "Oxygen sensing in plants is mediated by an N-end rule pathway for protein destabilization." Nature 479, 419–422

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany 2014-2020
  • PhD, Plant Molecular Physiology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany 2010-2014
  • B.Sc and M.S., Biotechnology, University of Szczecin, Poland 2005-2010

Scientific and Professional Membership

KAUST Affiliations

Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security - Executive committee member in the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Food Security (CoE-SFS)

BESE - Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Center of Excellence for Smart Health - member of the Center of Excellence for Smart Health