Professor Rucha Karnik

Professor of Membrane and Cell Physiology (Molecular Biosciences)

telephone: 01413301945
email: Rucha.Karnik@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: She/her/hers

Bower Building, Room 205, Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland, United Kingdom, G12 8SU

Biography

Dr Rucha Karnik is a Professor of Membrane and Cell Physiology in the School of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Glasgow. She comes from an Agri-biotech industry background and has Undergraduate and Master's degrees in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. Rucha obtained her PhD degree (2011) in Membrane Biology at the University of Leeds with a Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS) studentship award. During her PhD she focused on indentifying mechanisms for K⁺ channel traffic impacting human health and disease.

Rucha moved to the University of Glasgow in 2011, taking up a post doctoral position in the Blatt laboratory of membrane biophysics. Working with plant systems, here she focused on elucidating novel mechanisms co-ordinating ion transport and membrane trafficking in plants. Rucha was awarded a prestigious Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2016-2025) to establish her own research group at the University of Glasgow.

Research in Karnik lab addresses the overarching question 'How do plants grow?'. Rucha is interested in understanding how plants that we rely on can cope with climate challenges. She investigates how the plant molecular machinery integrates stress signals into plant growth, development and pathogen immunity. Rucha is particularly interested in understanding how environment sensing mechanisms control stomata, the microscopic pores of plants, as targets for bioengineering increased plant productivy and reduce agricultural water use.

Going beyond research in the laboratory, Rucha leads Sci-Seedlets, a cross-disciplinary impact and innovation project to inspire the next generation of plant scientists by supporting classroom teaching of plant biology through resources that support learners with different abilities. She has focused the development of Sci-Seedlets resources to provide tasters for molecular research to encourage an interest for the subject and to encourage concepts of equality, diversity and inclusion in STEM in a sustainable and accesible manner.

Key words: plant growth, pathogen immunity, membrane transport, stomatal development, plant physiology, membrane traffic, climate-change, CO2-sensing, plant blindness

Research interests

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and climate change have a negative impact on crop health and productivity, thus increasing pressure on crop production and limiting the availability of agricultural land and water resources world-wide. Research in Karnik laboratory addresses how do plants grow with a view to understanding how to moderate these pressures. We study molecular mechanisms underpinning immediate responses to multifactorial environmental cues that affect plant growth, immunity and developmental processes. The focus is on stomata, the microscopic pores on plants that facilitate gas exchange for photosynthesis and control plant water loss. We investigate carbon dioxide-sensing mechanisms in plants and their impact on stomatal behaviour. This research crucial for developing fundamental understanding of plant-environment interactions under climate pressure and is an essential first step to ensuring food and water security into the future.

We use multi-disciplinary research platforms including cell biology, protein biochemistry, mass spectrometry, crystallography, live cell imaging, plant physiology and stomatal physiology in our research. Karnik lab research uses model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Developmental studies are carried out using Begonia species. Research findings are extended to study the horticultural crop cucumber through international collaborations.

We develop new research tools in molecular biology, protein-protein interaction studies, plant membrane trafficking and plant protein biochemistry to aid research in plant systems.

Current Research Projects

1. Hormone-regulated membrane traffic in plants

Hormonal control of plasma membrane H⁺-ATPases is mediated in part through trafficking and its co-ordination in response to multifactorial stress. Current interests centre on novel secretory SNARE actions in regulating endocytosis of H⁺-ATPases.

2. Novel SNARE Partners Facilitating Bacterial Pathogen Defence

Plant microbial pathogens affect plant health inflicting major agricultural and socio-economic losses worldwide. Although plants have evolved defence systems, immunity comes at a cost to plant growth. Microbial pathogens also hijack cellular vesicle traffic to suppress the secretion of defence-related molecules essential for plant immunity. We are interested in the molecular mechanisms regulating of ion and water transport in stomatal guard cells and the integration of pathogen immunity with plant water use.

3. Molecular Mechanisms Underpinning Stomatal Development

Environmental responses of stomata frequently transcend physiological and developmental timescales. We use Begonia species as model to study stomatal development with a view to gain strategic knowledge for development of crops with enhanced stomatal efficiency.

4. Plant Memories and Forgetfulness: Connexions with CO2-sensing and Stomatal responses

Global atmospheric CO₂is predicted to approach levels of 900 μmol mol^-1 by the end of the 21st century and is certain to have long-term impacts on stomatal density and patterning on the leaf surface, and consequently on plant biomass. The CO₂-sensing mechanisms that integrate stomatal regulation across timescales remain unknown. The laboratory is exploring possible CO₂-sensing mechanism that could affect these processes.

Karnik Group and Plant Science at Glasgow

Public Engagement & Innovation

Sci-Seedlets is a cross-disciplinary project to inspire the next generation of plant scientists. We have built a scheme that uses cutting-edge educational formats providing tasters for plant research. Through work in the classroom, Sci-Seedlets supports primary schools, teachers and members of the public with plant science education by exploring topics including 'how do plants grow?', 'how do plants defend against pathogens?' and ‘how to plants respond to their environment?’. Sci-Seedlets resources are now being expanded for use in secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching of plant science.

Find out more!

Sci-Seedlets TRI

Glasgow Science Festival 2022

Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2022!

Past Activities

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2010 | 2009 | 2007 | 2004 | 2003

Number of items: 30.

2025

Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, McGill, Suzanne, Burchmore, Richard ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1663-9004 and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2025) Quantitative analysis of the arabidopsis leaf secretory proteome using via TMT- based mass spectrometry. Bio-protocol, 15(22), e5508. (doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.5508)

Zhang, X. et al. (2025) GORK K+ channel structure and gating vital to informing stomatal engineering. Nature Communications, 16, 1961. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-57287-7) (PMID:40000640) (PMCID:PMC11861651)

Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Phan Ly, Thu, Xu, Jing, Farami, Sahar, Burchmore, Richard ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1663-9004, Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2025) SYNTAXIN OF PLANTS 132 underpins secretion of cargoes associated with salicylic acid signaling and pathogen defense. Plant Physiology, 197(1), kiae541. (doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae541) (PMID:39387490) (PMCID:PMC11663556)

2024

Su, J. et al. (2024) Overexpression of tonoplast Ca2+‐ATPase in guard cells synergistically enhances stomatal opening and drought tolerance. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 66(8), pp. 1587-1602. (doi: 10.1111/jipb.13721) (PMID:38923303)

Baena, Guillermo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3559-2862, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Yu, ZhiYi, Guo, Yue, Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645, Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184 and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2024) Arabidopsis SNARE SYP132 impacts on PIP2;1 trafficking and function in salinity stress. Plant Journal, 118(4), pp. 1036-1053. (doi: 10.1111/tpj.16649) (PMID:38289468)

2023

Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2023) Analyzing protein–protein interactions using the split-ubiquitin system. In: Mukhtar, Shahid (ed.) Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols. Series: Methods in molecular biology (2690). Humana Press: New York, NY, pp. 23-36. ISBN 9781071633267 (doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3327-4_3)

2022

Baena, Guillermo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3559-2862, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673 and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2022) SNARE SYP132 mediates divergent trafficking of H+-ATPase AHA1 and antimicrobial PR1 during bacterial pathogenesis. Plant Physiology, 189(3), pp. 1639-1661. (doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac149) (PMID:35348763) (PMCID:PMC9237740)

Wang, Yizhou, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Garcia-Mata, Carlos and Hu, Honghong (2022) Editorial: transport and membrane traffic in stomatal biology. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 898128. (doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.898128) (PMID:35712596) (PMCID:PMC9197599)

2021

Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Zhang, Yaxian, Wang, Hui and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2021) Tri-SUS: a yeast split-ubiquitin assay to examine protein interactions governed by a third binding partner. Plant Physiology, 185(2), pp. 285-289. (doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa039) (PMID:33721898)

2020

Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Marquès-Bueno, Maria Mar and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2020) Trafficking SNARE SYP132 partakes in auxin-associated root growth. Plant Physiology, 182, pp. 1836-1840. (doi: 10.1104/pp.19.01301) (PMID:31974128)

2019

Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Marques-Bueno, Maria Mar, Bruce, Craig Graham and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2019) Unusual roles of secretory SNARE SYP132 in plasma membrane H+-ATPase traffic and vegetative plant growth. Plant Physiology, 180(2), pp. 837-858. (doi: 10.1104/pp.19.00266) (PMID:30926657)

Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Alvim, Jonas, Donald, Naomi and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2019) Dual sites for SEC11 on the SNARE SYP121 implicate a binding exchange during secretory traffic. Plant Physiology, 180, pp. 228-239. (doi: 10.1104/pp.18.01315) (PMID:30850468) (PMCID:PMC6501095)

2018

Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Lileikyte, Edita, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Goodman, Jennifer K., Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 and Jones, Alexandra M.E. (2018) SNAREs SYP121 and SYP122 mediate the secretion of distinct cargo subsets. Plant Physiology, 178(4), pp. 1679-1688. (doi: 10.1104/pp.18.00832) (PMID:30348815)

Lefoulon, Cecile ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-3710, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2018) Gating control and K+ uptake by the KAT1 K+ channel leaveraged through membrane anchoring of the trafficking protein SYP121. Plant, Cell and Environment, 41(11), pp. 2668-2677. (doi: 10.1111/pce.13392) (PMID:29940699) (PMCID:PMC6220998)

Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Donald, Naomi and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2018) A GPI signal peptide-anchored split-ubiquitin (GPS) system for detecting soluble bait protein interactions at the membrane. Plant Physiology, 178(1), pp. 13-17. (doi: 10.1104/pp.18.00577) (PMID:30037807)

2017

Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Larson, Emily, Lefoulon, Cécile ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-3710, Gonzalez, Wendy and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2017) Commandeering channel voltage sensors for secretion, cell turgor, and volume control. Trends in Plant Science, 22(1), pp. 81-95. (doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2016.10.006) (PMID:27818003) (PMCID:PMC5224186)

Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Donald, Naomi Alice and Blatt, Mike R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2017) VAMP721 conformations unmask an extended motif for K+ channel binding and gating control. Plant Physiology, 173(1), pp. 536-551. (doi: 10.1104/pp.16.01549) (PMID:27821719)

2015

Grefen, Christopher, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Larson, Emily, Lefoulon, Cecile ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-3710, Wang, Yizhou, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Hills, Adrian and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2015) A vesicle-trafficking protein commandeers Kv channel voltage sensors for voltage-dependent secretion. Nature Plants, 1, 15108. (doi: 10.1038/nplants.2015.108)

Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Wang, Yizhou, Wallmeroth, Niklas, Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 and Grefen, Christopher (2015) The arabidopsis R-SNARE VAMP721 interacts with KAT1 and KC1 K+ channels to moderate K+ current at the plasma membrane. Plant Cell, 27(6), pp. 1697-1717. (doi: 10.1105/tpc.15.00305) (PMID:26002867) (PMCID:PMC4498211)

Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Zhang, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-9184, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673, Aderhold, Christin, Grefen, Christopher and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2015) Binding of SEC11 indicates its role in SNARE recycling after vesicle fusion and identifies two pathways for vesicular traffic to the plasma membrane. Plant Cell, 27(3), pp. 675-694. (doi: 10.1105/tpc.114.134429) (PMID:25747882)

2014

Lefoulon, Cecile ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-3710, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Honsbein, Annegret, Gutla, Paul Vijay, Grefen, Christopher, Riedelsberger, Janin, Poblete, Tomás, Dreyer, Ingo, Gonzalez, Wendy and Blatt, Michael R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2014) Voltage-sensor transitions of the inward-rectifying K+ channel KAT1 indicate a latching mechanism biased by hydration within the voltage sensor. Plant Physiology, 166(2), pp. 960-975. (doi: 10.1104/pp.114.244319) (PMID:25185120)

2013

Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Ludlow, Melanie J., Abuarab, Nada, Smith, Andrew J., Hardy, Matthew E.L., Elliott, David J.S. and Sivaprasadarao, Asipu (2013) Endocytosis of hERG is clathrin-independent and involves Arf6. PLoS ONE, 8(12), e85630. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085630) (PMID:24392021) (PMCID:PMC3877390)

Karnik, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Grefen, C., Bayne, R., Honsbein, A., Kohler, T, Kioumourtzoglou, D., Williams, M., Bryant, N.J. and Blatt, M.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2013) Arabidopsis Sec1/Munc18 protein SEC11 is a competitive and dynamic modulator of SNARE binding and SYP121-dependent vesicle traffic. Plant Cell, 25(4), pp. 1368-1382. (doi: 10.1105/tpc.112.108506) (PMID:23572542)

Karnik, Abhijit, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 and Grefen, Christopher (2013) SDM-Assist software to design site-directed mutagenesis primers introducing “silent” restriction sites. BMC Bioinformatics, 14, 105. (doi: 10.1186/1471-2105-14-105) (PMID:23522286) (PMCID:PMC3644487)

2012

Wang, Y., Papanatsiou, M., Eisenach, C., Karnik, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Williams, M., Hills, A., Lew, V.L. and Blatt, M.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1361-4645 (2012) Systems dynamic modeling of a guard cell Cl- channel mutant uncovers an emergent homeostatic network regulating stomatal transpiration. Plant Physiology, 160(4), pp. 1956-1967. (doi: 10.1104/pp.112.207704)

2010

Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Smith, Andrew J., Elliott, David J., Taneja, Tarvinder K., Aviss, Kathyrin and Sivaprasadarao, Asipu (2010) Lipid raft and Arf6-GTPase dependent endocytosis of the hERG potassium channel. Biophysical Journal, 98(3 S1), 376a. (doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2009.12.2028)

2009

Taneja, Tarvinder K., Mankouri, Jamel, Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099, Kannan, Soundarapandian, Smith, Andrew J., Munsey, Tim, Christesen, Henrik B.T., Beech, David J. and Sivaprasadarao, Asipu (2009) Sar1-GTPase-dependent ER exit of KATP channels revealed by a mutation causing congenital hyperinsulinism. Human Molecular Genetics, 18(13), pp. 2400-2413. (doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddp179) (PMID:19357197)

2007

Ghosh, Prasanta K., Bhardwaj, Devesh and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2007) Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor: the protein and its current & emerging applications. Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 6(4), pp. 435-448.

2004

Agrawal, Y.K. and Karnik, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2004) Erythromycin fermentation using Sacchropolyspora erythraea with cotton seed meal as nitrogen source. Indian Drugs, 41(3), pp. 138-142.

2003

Bisen, P. S. et al. (2003) Analysis of the shotgun expression library of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome for immunodominant polypeptides: potential use in serodiagnosis. Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, 10(6), pp. 1051-1058. (doi: 10.1128/CDLI.10.6.1051-1058.2003) (PMID:14607866) (PMCID:PMC262431)

This list was generated on Thu Dec 4 15:56:03 2025 GMT.

Jump to: Articles | Book Sections

Number of items: 30.

Articles

Baena, Guillermo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3559-2862, Xia, Lingfeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8628-8062, Waghmare, Sakharam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-0673 and Karnik, Rucha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6876-4099 (2022) SNARE SYP132 mediates divergent trafficking of H+-ATPase AHA1 and antimicrobial PR1 during bacterial pathogenesis. Plant Physiology, 189(3), pp. 1639-1661. (doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac149) (PMID:35348763) (PMCID:PMC9237740)

Book Sections

This list was generated on Thu Dec 4 15:56:03 2025 GMT.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

Structural analysis of a unique K-dependent channel gate
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2025 - 2028
Cy-BORC - The Vesicle Recycling Complex of Plants
Leverhulme Trust
2025 - 2028
Sci-Seedlets: Classroom Lesson Kits - building a business model for wider impact
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2025 - 2025
Plasma Membrane Proton ATPase Cycling in Stress Response
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2024 - 2027
Dissecting Adaptive Memories in Stomatal Response
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2024 - 2027
A SNARE-Aquaporin complex in stomatal hydraulics
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2024 - 2026
Sci-Seedlets - Developing Product Pipeline for Plant Science Education
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2023 - 2025
IRGA-Live Clamp: An integrated infrared gas-analysis platform to investigate systemic signalling within the plant canopy
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2022 - 2023
Diversity in STEM
The Royal Society
2022 - 2025
Plant Memories and Forgetfulness: Connexions with CO2 Perception and Responses
The Royal Society
2022 - 2025
Sci-Seedlets - BBSRC IAA
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2021 - 2022
Elucidating Novel Mechanisms For CO2 - Sensing in Plants
Wellcome Trust
2021 - 2022
Sci-seedlets
The Royal Society
2021 - 2023
CO2 influence on SNARE regulation
The Royal Society
2021 - 2023
Sci-Seedlets- Nurturing Plant Science Educational Outcomes in School Children
BBSRC
2021 - 2022
SYP-SLAC
BBSRC
2021 - 2024
SNARE endocytosis and secretory vesicle reuse in plant growth-defense trade offs
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2019 - 2022
How Do Plants Fight Microbes?- The Defence Song
The Royal Society
2019 - 2019
Proton Transport Modulators - Spatial Regulation and Effects on Plant Physiology
The Royal Society
2017 - 2021
Hormone-Regulated Membrane Traffic and Plant Morphogenesis
The Royal Society
2016 - 2025

Supervision

PhD Projects

Karnik lab currently hosts PhD students funded by China Scholarship Council, University of Glasgow, The Leverhulme Trust and the M L Macintyre Begonia Trust.

Ongoing PhD Projects in the lab:-

1. Engineering Stomtal Efficiency in Plants

2. Plant climate sensing mechanisms

3. Novel protein complexes that dictate plant memory to stress

Applications Open Fully Funded PhD Studentship

Project: Analysis of a Novel Climate-Sensing Module in Begonias towards Improved Plant Performance

Project Start. 1st October 2026. Apply online Attn. Rucha Karnik

Applications close 12th January 2026.

Application inquiries to Sara Scarpi (smb-PGR@glasgow.ac.uk, SMB PGR administrator)

Project Description

Plants grow better if they receive more CO2; they get bigger and produce more seeds. But if this is good news for agriculture remains to be seen. Exponentially increasing CO2 levels in air and climate change is a major global challenge in the modern day. Especially when we need to produce more food in the next 30 years than we did in the past 1000 years. To achieve this goal but with limited water and land in supply, crop efficiency and resilience to climate change must be high. Yet we know little about climate sensing in plants and how it can be adapted to improve plant performance.

This project will investigate out how plants sense climate at a molecular level. The research will focus on stomata, the microscopic pores on the surface of plants that track the demand for CO2 in the plant. Stomata drive photosynthetic carbon assimilation, transpirational water loss and pathogen defence to impact crop performance. In the Karnik lab, we have recently uncovered a novel climate-sensing module at the centre of signalling that affects stomatal development and regulation. Constituting a subset of membrane trafficking and ion transport proteins, the climate-sensing module is conserved across land plants but appears to have evolved distinctly in Begonias, a species of horticulturally important plants that have evolved distinct stomatal patterns that enhance stomatal performance in a stressful environment. We are very excited about this research theme. What is the structure-function relationships for the components? and, how does the module confer stress resilience to plants? These are all open questions that the PhD student working on this project will have the opportunity to address.

The project offers opportunities to learn advanced plant molecular biology, protein biochemistry skills, engaging with a vibrant world leading research community at the University of Glasgow. Based in Prof. Karnik’s laboratory, the student will train in plant ecophysiology, molecular biology, membrane physiology and the use of machine learning technology in stomatal biology.

This project is well suited for a student interested in discovery led research. Mathematical or computing skills are welcome but not essential. In addition to the opportunity to be part of a very exciting and cutting-edge research project that is relevant to modern times, this PhD programme offers training relevant for crop biotechnology, also relevant for employable skills. Initial interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held in the week of 19th January 2026. The studentship is competition funded by the ML Macintyre Begonia Trust.

Funding. This studentship is funded by the Begonia Trust and will cover UK home fees and a stipend at the BBSRC-equivalent rate. International candidates are welcome to apply and should already have funding in place to cover home fees.

Key words. Biotechnology, Developmental Biology, Molecular Biology, Plant Cell Biology, Membrane Biology and Structural Biology

Liu, Dongjiao
Molecular Mechanisms of Stomatal Cluster Development in Plants
Ly, Truong Phan Thu
Engineering stomatal patterning in plants for enhanced water use efficiency

PG & UG Projects

Each year Karnik lab wellcomes undergraduate and post graduate student interns to promote interest in plant scienc. We provide opportunities to engage with our research and contribute to outreach.

Internship opportunities in Karnik Lab

UG Summer internship opportunity 2026 - Applications open from Jan 2026 (email CV and cover letter to Rucha Karnik) - 2 positions

UG Summer internship position 2025 - Applications open Feb 2025. 1 position (*now filled*)

Applied Research Skills Internship 2023 for UofGlasgow students (Supported by Royal Society STEM diversity funding) - 1 position (*now filled)

Summer internships 2023 for UofGlasgow UG students (Supported by Royal Society STEM diversity funding) - 1 position (*now closed*)

Term time internships 2023 for UofGlasgow UG students (Supported by Royal Society STEM diversity funding) - 2 positions (*now closed*)

Summer internship 2023 for UofGlasgow UG Yr1 students - 1 position - *now closed*

Summer School placement 2023 - 1 position - *now closed*

Teaching

Level 4: Honours Project Supervisor
MSc. Biotechnology assessor & project supervisor
MSc. Food Security assessor & project supervisor
MSc. Food Security & Management assessor & project supervisor
MSc Biotechnology BIOL5197 omics course assessor

Level 3 Biomolecular Sciences Lectures - Membranes & Filaments Module - Vesicle Trafficking Mechanisms, Regulation, Pathophysiology and Plant Growth
PGR convenor and examiner

Previous.

MSc. Food Security, MSc Biotechnology & Level 4 BIOL5312, BIOL5213, BIOL4110 - Plant Research & Biotechnology Platforms

Professional activities & recognition

Research fellowships

2022 - 2025: Senior Royal Society University Research Fellowship
2016 - 2022: Royal Society University Research Fellowship

Grant committees & research advisory boards

2020 - 2024: Royal Society, Royal Society Hooke Committee
2023 - 2025: Royal Society, Royal Society Grants Committee
2024 - 2025: Royal Society, The Future of Scientific Publishing - Advisory Group
2024: BBSRC, Pool of Experts

Editorial boards

2019 - 2023: Guest Associate Editor for Plant Membrane Traffic and Transport, Frontiers in Plant Science

Professional & learned societies

2025: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), Royal Society of Biology

Selected international presentations

2013: European Network for Plant Endomembrane Research (Ghent)
2014: Gordon Research Conference: Salt & Water Stress in Plants (Maine NE)
2017: European Network for Plant Endomembrane Research (France)
2019: European Network for Plant Endomembrane Research (Glasgow)
2021: Plant Biology 2021 Worldwide Summit, Cell Biology symposium (virtual)
2023: SEB Centenary Conference Edinburgh 2023 (Edinburgh)
2024: Royal Society Theo Murphy meeting Carbon dioxide detection in biological systems. (Manchester)

Rucha

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