Boston, MA — The Institute for Plant-Human Interface (IPHI) at Northeastern University announces the appointment of Dr. Lianyong Wang as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, effective January 2025.
Dr. Wang joins IPHI from Princeton University, where he served as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Martin Jonikas’ laboratory. During his postdoctoral work, Wang made landmark contributions to our understanding of chloroplast biology, including creating the first comprehensive protein localization atlas of the chloroplast and uncovering novel biomolecular condensates critical for photosynthetic function. His work, published in Cell in 2023, provided unprecedented insights into the spatial organization of chloroplast proteins and revealed 11 previously unknown condensate structures.
Wang received his Ph.D. from Kyoto University under Dr. Hideya Fukuzawa, where he discovered key mechanisms regulating CO2 sensing in photosynthetic organisms. His doctoral research identified a calcium-binding protein that controls chloroplast-mediated CO2 sensing pathways, advancing our understanding of how photosynthetic organisms adapt to changing CO2 levels.
“Dr. Wang’s groundbreaking discoveries in chloroplast condensate biology open new frontiers for engineering enhanced photosynthesis in crops,” says Dr. Jing-Ke Weng, Director of IPHI. “His innovative use of single-cellular algae as model organisms has revealed fundamental principles that could help us improve plant productivity to address global food security challenges.”
Wang’s appointment creates exciting research synergies with Dr. Lital Davidi, who joined IPHI in Fall 2024. While Wang focuses on chloroplast organization and regulation using the model alga Chlamydomonas, Davidi studies iron homeostasis in extremophilic algae. Together, their complementary expertise in leveraging algal systems to understand fundamental adaptive mechanisms promises to accelerate discoveries that could enhance crop resilience and productivity.
At IPHI, Wang will establish a research program focused on understanding chloroplast biogenesis, dynamics, and regulation. His lab will investigate how biomolecular condensates organize chloroplast functions and explore applications for improving photosynthetic efficiency in crops.
“The recruitment of leading scientists like Dr. Wang demonstrates Northeastern University’s commitment to establishing IPHI as a world-leading center for plant science innovation,” notes Weng. “With our growing team of talented researchers, we are well-positioned to make transformative discoveries at the intersection of fundamental plant biology and agricultural sustainability.”
News source: IPHI