RICHARD DAVID VIERSTRA PROFESSOR Department of Horticulture and Cellular and Molecular Biology and Genetics Programs 1575 Linden Drive University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706 (608)-262-8215 office (608)-262-4743 FAX E-mail: Vierstra@facstaff.wisc.edu EDUCATION B.S. 1972-1976 University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (Biology, Minor in Chemistry) Ph.D 1976-1980 Michigan State University and MSU DOE Plant Research Laboratory East Lansing, MI (Botany and Plant Pathology) Academic Advisor: Dr. Kenneth L. Poff ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS 1976-1980 Research Assistant, MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University 1980-1983 Research Associate with Dr. Peter H. Quail, Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison 1984-1988 Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison 1988-1992 Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison 1992-present Professor, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison 1993-1994 Visiting Scholar, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (In the laboratory of Dr. Adrienne Clarke) AWARDS AND HONORS Competitive Research Assistantship at MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (1976-1980) Best Paper Presentation, Midwest Section Meeting of American Society of Plant Physiologists (1980) Glenn Pound Outstanding Research Award, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1986) H.I. Romnes Faculty Research Fellowship, Graduate School, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1989) Fulbright Senior Scholar Award (1993-1994) Kellet Mid-Career Faculty Research Fellowship, Graduate School, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2001) PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Member, UW-Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (1984-present); UW-Biotechnology Program (1988-present); UW-Genetics Program (1992-present) NIH-NRSA Fellowship Study Section (1986) Organizer, Symposium on "Plant Genes of Economic Importance", University of Wisconsin-Madison Crop Physiology Group (1986) Organizer, Symposia on "Protein Turnover in Plants" (1987) and "Phytochrome" (1990), and "Protein Degradation" (1998) Annual Meetings of American Society of Plant Physiologists Program Committee, American Society of Plant Physiologists (1988-1990) Editorial Board, Plant Physiology (1988-1992) Lecturer, Cold Spring Harbor Summer Course in "Plant Molecular Biology" (1990, 1991) and "Arabidopsis Molecular Biology" (1994) Vice Chairperson, FASEB Conference on "Ubiquitin and Intracellular Proteolysis" (1991) Lecturer, ASPP Lecture Course on Plant Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego (1992), Madison (1993) Chairperson, FASEB Conference on "Ubiquitin and Intracellular Proteolysis" (1993) Texas Advanced Research Program - Review Panel (1995) Monitoring Editor, Plant Physiology (1996-1997, 1998-2001) USDA-NRICGP: "Plant Genetic Mechanisms" Grant Review Panel (1998) NIH: "Molecular Biosciences (MBY)" Study Section (1998) Organizing Committee: 1st Meeting of International Proteolysis Society (1999) Editorial Board, Journal of Biological Chemistry (starting 2001) Panel Manager, USDA-NRICGP "Plant Genetic Mechanisms" Grant Review Panel (2000-2001) PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES American Society of Plant Physiologists International Society of Plant Molecular Biologists International Society on Proteolysis American Society for the Advancement of Science TEACHING Formal Teaching: Fall semester of each year: HORT 550 "Molecular Approaches for Crop Improvement", 3 credits. Survey course describing general molecular, immunological, and biochemical techniques used in plant biotechnology. For advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students and is a required course for several Ph.D programs. Spring semester: BIOL 152 "Introductory Biology" 3 credits. Team taught with two other faculty. Survey course on general biology principles for all biology and related majors at UW. Informal Teaching: Chair, Plant Biology Section- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program. Coordinates group of CMB faculty in the plant biology discipline and is a member of the CMB Coordinating Committee Member, Advisor Committee, Undergraduate Program in Molecular Biology Advisor, Wisconsin CESA2 Youth Apprenticeship Program for high school students interested in biotechnology. Have mentored high school students in my laboratory for the last six years. RESEARCH Molecular, genetic, and biochemical analysis of intracellular protein degradation in plants with a special emphasis on the ubiquitin/26S proteasome proteolytic pathway. Applications of ubiquitin in biotechnology. Role of polypeptide tags a post-translational modifiers of plant protein structure and function. Understanding the role of phytochrome in controlling plant photomorphogenesis. Roles of both the ubiquitin pathway and phytochrome in controlling Arabidopsis growth and development. Characterization of bacteriophytochromes, simple eubacterial models for higher plants phytochromes. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PUBLICATIONS (total = 131) (see attached list) PATENTS "Ubiquitin fusion protein system for protein production in plants." Vierstra, R.D., D. Hondred and J. Callis. Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Patent number 5,773,705 (1998). "Ubiquitin conjugating enzyme (E2) fusion proteins." Vierstra, R.D., and M. Gosink. Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Patent number 5,851,791 (1998). "Vectors for the stoichiometric accumulation of multiple proteins in plants." Vierstra, R.D., and J.W. Walker. Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (in review). FORMER GRADUATE STUDENTS: Dr. John Shanklin: Ph.D Horticulture (1985-1988) Associate Professor, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY. Dr. Michael L. Sullivan: Ph.D, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program. (1987-1991) Research Scientist, Dairy Forage Reseach Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Steven van Nocker: Ph.D, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (1988-1993) Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Emily Jordan: Ph.D, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (1990-1997) Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Gary Roberts, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Paul Bates: Ph.D, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (1992- 1999) Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Alan Attie, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Ning Yan: Ph.D, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (1994-2000) Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Paul Bornstein, University of Washington, Seattle, WA Seth Davis: Ph.D, Genetics Program (1994-2000) Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Andrew Millar, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK FORMER POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES: Dr. Merten Jabben (1985-1988) Resident, University of Arkansas Medical School Dr. Peggy M. Hatfield: (1985-1995) Research Scientist, EpiCentre Technologies, Madison, WI Dr. Thomas J. Burke: (1986-1988) Vice President, Panvera Corporation, Madison, WI Dr. Judy A. Callis: (1987-1989) Professor, Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Univ. of California, Davis Dr. Joel R. Cherry: (1988-1992) Scientist, NovoNordisk Biotech, Davis, CA Dr. Pierre-Alain Girod: (1989-1992) Scientist, Univ. of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland Dr. David Hondred: (1990-1994) Research Scientist, Pioneer HiBreds Int., Johnston, IA Dr. Karin Lohman: (1992-1994) Research Scientist, DuPont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, DE Dr. Sharon Thoma: (1993-1995) Assistant Professor, Edgewood College, Madison, WI. Dr. Elisabeth Martin: (1993-1995) Associate Professor, Blackhawk College, Quad Cities, IA Dr. Mark M. Gosink: (1991-1998) Scientist, Parke Davis, Ann Arbor, MI. Dr. Richard Clough: (1992-1998) Scientist, Prodigene Corp. College Station TX. Dr. Dennis Matthew: (1994-1995) Adjunct Assistant Professor, Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH Dr. Tanya Falbel: (1994-1997) Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Dr. Hongyong Fu:(1996-1998) Assistant Professor, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Alex Vener (1999-2000) Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Dr. Seong Hee Bhoo (1999-2001). Department of Genetic Engineering, Kyung Hee University, South Korea