Plant Assistant
Resume:
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ, PhD
*** ****** **** • Columbia, Missouri 65211 • 573-***-**** • ******@****.********.***
SELECTED SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES.
• Plant Pathology: Isolation of fungi, bacteria, plant viruses and nematodes from infected tissue.
Microscopic characterization of fungi and bacteria. Purification of fungal isolates. Preservation of fungal
and bacterial isolates. Experiment design. Data collection. Koch’s postulates. Inoculum production.
Inoculation of plant pathogens. Evaluation in vitro of antifungal and antibacterial compounds. Disease
diagnosis. ELISA.
• Molecular Biology: DNA, RNA and protein isolation. cDNA synthesis. PCR, qPCR and RT-PCR.
Construct design and gene cloning. Restriction enzyme-mediated gene cloning. Protein expression. SDS-
PAGE, Western Blot, Pull down, Co-IP. Plant transformation. Cell imaging. Gene Silencing.
• Genetics: Plant crosses and molecular genotyping. Molecular markers AFLP, RFLP, RAPDS.
• Bioinformatics: BLAST. NCBI. Sequence alignment. Contig assembly. Tree building. Gene annotation.
Primer design. ORF prediction. Protein sequence analysis.
• Computer: Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. Photoshop. Internet. LSM Image
Browser, Image J.
• Leadership: Active and collaborative team leader with solid, written and oral communication skills.
Experience working in multidisciplinary environments. Self-motivated and result-oriented.
• Other relevant experience: Green house and growth chamber maintenance and experiment set up.
Preparation of growth media, buffers and chemical solutions. Trained in chemical and biological hazards
security.
EDUCATION
(2009 – 2014)
Ph.D. Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences. Plant Stress Biology
University of Missouri. Columbia, Missouri.
(2001-2007)
B. Sc. Industrial Microbiology
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Bogota, Colombia.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
(2009 – 2014)
Graduate Research Assistant.
University of Missouri. Columbia.
• Discovered that the coat protein of Tobacco necrosis virus (TNV) is an avirulence determinant in Nicotiana
species.
• Mapped the region in the coat protein of TNV required for elicitation of hypersensitive response.
• Characterized a membrane-associated protein from Arabidopsis thaliana and its interaction with Cauliflower
mosaic virus (CaMV) viral proteins.
• Created transgenic Nicotiana benthamina and A. thaliana plants expressing CaMV proteins.
• Created homozygous single, double and triple T-DNA knock-out A.thaliana plants, mutated genes of
interest to study intracellular movement of plant viruses.
• Trained new graduate students and employees.
• Managed laboratory functions including organization, ordering and scheduling equipment use.
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ, PhD 573-***-**** ******@****.********.***
(2007-2009)
Research Assistant.
National Coffee Research Center. Manizales, Colombia.
• Developed pathogenicity tests to evaluate fungal isolates of Colletotrichum associated to coffee.
• Compared Colombian isolates of the fungus Colletotrichum with the African species C. kahawae using
molecular markers.
• Developed an RT-PCR-based methodology to differentiate the most important species of Colletotrichum in
coffee.
(2005 – 2007)
Undergraduate Intern.
National Coffee Research Center. Manizales, Colombia.
• Isolated and characterized morphologically the fungal microflora associated with coffee berries.
• Characterized a population of Colletotrichum associated to coffee in Colombia using phylogenetic markers
such as ITS and β-tubulin.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
(Fall, 2012 and Fall, 2013)
Teaching Assistant
PLNT_S 7500: Biology and Pathogenesis of Plant-Associated Microbes
University of Missouri, Columbia
• Planned and supervised lab activities in a senior undergraduate level and graduate level class.
• Prepared material for lab activities.
• Presented information related to each lab.
• Guided students to understand each of the techniques used in the lab.
PUBLICATIONS
Angel CA., Lutz L., Yang X., Rodriguez A., Adair A., Zhang Y., Leisner S., Nelson RS., Schoelz JE. (2013).
The P6 protein of Cauliflower mosaic virus interacts with CHUP1, a plant protein which moves chloroplasts
on actin microfilaments. Virology 443. 363-74.
Rodriguez A., Angel C., Lutz L., Leisner R., Nelson R., Schoelz J. Association of the P6 protein of
Cauliflower mosaic virus with plasmodesmata and plasmodesmal proteins. Plant Physiology. Submitted.
Rodriguez A., Angel C., Valdes S., Fereiduoni M., Schoelz J. The coat protein of Tobacco necrosis virus is
an avirulence determinant in Nicotiana species of the section Alatae. Manuscript in preparation.
HONORS AND AWARDS
(2014)
Award for Outstanding Research in Plant-Microbe Interactions
Division of Plant Sciences. University of Missouri-Columbia.
(2009)
Daniel Millikan Scholarship.
Division of Plant Sciences. University of Missouri-Columbia.
(2008)
Opportunity Grant EducationUSA.
EducationUSA. Manizales, Colombia.
Page 2 of 4
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ, PhD 573-***-**** ******@****.********.***
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Rodriguez A., Angel C., Lutz L., Leisner S., Nelson R., Schoelz J. Cauliflower mosaic virus P6 inclusion bodies
at the door: Their association with plasmodesmata during expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. 2013 American
Phytopathological Society (APS) - The Mycological Society of America (MSA) joint meeting. Austin, TX.
August 10th-14th, 2013.
Fereiduoni M., Rodriguez A., Valdes S., Angel C., Schoelz J. The coat protein of Tobacco necrosis virus elicits
HR in Nicotiana species belonging to the section Alatae. (Poster). 2013 American Phytopathological Society
(APS) - The Mycological Society of America (MSA) joint meeting. Austin, TX. August 10th-14th, 2013.
Rodriguez A., Angel C., Lutz L., Leisner S., Nelson R., Schoelz J. A C2 Calcium-Dependent Membrane
Targeting protein of Arabidopsis thaliana is co-localized with the P6 inclusion body and the cell-to-cell
movement protein of Cauliflower mosaic virus. 31st Annual Meeting. American Society for Virology. Monona
Terrace Convention Center, Madison, WI .Hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Speaker. July
21st-25th, 2012.
Rodriguez A. The C2 Calcium Dependent Membrane Targeting protein from Arabidposis interacts with the
protein VI from Cauliflower mosaic virus. 21st Annual Noble Foundation Virology Retreat. The Samuel Roberts
Noble Foundation. May Speaker. April 30th- May 2nd, 2010. Ardmore, OK. U.S.A.
Rodriguez A., Angel C., Kiraly L. The Coat Protein of Tobacco necrosis virus acts as an avirulence determinant
in a broad spectrum of Nicotiana species. 19th Annual Virology Retreat. The Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation. April 30th- May 2nd, 2010. Ardmore, OK. USA. 19th Annual Noble Foundation Virology
Retreat. The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Speaker. April 30th- May 2nd, 2010. Ardmore, OK. U.S.A.
Rodriguez A., Loureiro A., Varzea V., Gaitan A.Genetic diversity of Colletotrichum species associated to
coffee in Colombia and their relationship to CBD causing isolates (Poster). 22nd International Conference on
Coffee Science. Association for Science and Information on Coffee. ASIC. September 14 - 19, 2008.
Campinas, Brazil.
Rodriguez A. Genetic diversity of Colletotrichum species associated to coffee in Colombia and their
relationship to CBD causing isolates. 43rd National Biological Sciences Conference. Colombian Association
of Biological Sciences. ACCB. October 7-10, 2008. Yopal, Colombia.
LEADERSHIP
President. (2013-2014)
Students for the Advancement of Plant Pathology.
University of Missouri, Columbia.
Vicepresident. (2012-2013)
Student for the Advancement of Plant Pathology.
University of Missouri, Columbia.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
American Phytopathological Society (APS)
Plant Interdisciplinary Group. University of Missouri. (IPG)
Page 3 of 4
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ, PhD 573-***-**** ******@****.********.***
REFERENCES
James E. Schoelz, PhD
Professor
Division of Plant Sciences
University of Missouri, Columbia.
Phone: 573-***-****
Email: ********@********.***
Melissa G. Mitchum, PhD
Professor
Division of Plant Sciences
University of Missouri, Columbia.
Phone: 573-***-****
Email: *********@********.***
Walter Gassmann, PhD
Professor
Division of Plant Sciences
University of Missouri, Columbia.
Phone: 573-***-****
Email: *********@********.***
Page 4 of 4
Contact this candidate