Graduate Student
Home Department:
Plant and Microbial Biology
Biochemistry, and Genetics B.S. Texas A&M University
Victoria Yell works in the Li lab describing lignin deficient Arabidopsis mutants. This work has broader implications for bioenergy production, as the presence of lignin in plant cell walls makes fermentation of biomass into ethanol fuel challenging. However, these lignin deficient plants also experience severe dwarfism. Her work focuses on describing the molecular mechanisms involved in the dwarfing of these plants.
Victoria also leads the gene cloning and transformation construction for the Pennycress and Camelina gene editing project. In this project, Victoria uses world-leading CRISRP-Cas9 gene editing tools, coupled with tissue specific gene promoters, to precisely engineer lignin production in Pennycress and Camelina, testing possible novel strategies to improve seed oil production of these renewable energy biofuel crops.
Social activities:
Catalyst group.
SciPol Pack.