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Marta Maluk

Staff picture: Marta Maluk
Agroecology
Ecological Sciences
Research Assistant
Marta.Maluk@hutton.ac.uk
+44 (0) 344 928 5428

The James Hutton Institute
Invergowrie
Dundee DD2 5DA
Scotland UK

 

QUALIFICATIONS

2009–2014. Ph.D.-Improving barley for biofuel production-efficient transformation for lignin manipulation, a BBSRC Targeted Priority PhD Studentship. University of Dundee.
01.2008. SQA Certificate. English for Speakers of Other Languages.
1999–2004. M.Sc., Plant Biotechnology, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland.
2003–2004. Teaching Qualification, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland.
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EMPLOYMENT

2015–Present. Research Assistant, Agroecology, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK.
2015. Potato Plant Health Inspector, The Scottish Government, Perth and SASA Edinburgh, UK.
2014–2015. Technician, Plant Pathology, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK.
2010–2013. Demonstrator, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, UK.
2009. Technician, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee, UK.
2006–2009. Farm work, East Scryne Farm, Carnoustie, Angus, UK.
2004–2005. Plant In Vitro Cultures ‘Bank’, Vitroflora Laboratory, Łochowo, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
2004. Trainee Teacher at Secondary School, Szczecin, Poland.
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TRAINING

19.03.2019 – Dry Ice Shipping Procedures Air – Road – Sea. CAMEON dangerous goods training
26-27.02.2019 - Introduction to Bioinformatics (including NGS analysis and Galaxy). ICS Training Team. JHI Dundee
10.2018. BORDA Off-Road Driving Training
02-03.2018 PA1 and PA11 certificates.
01.2017. CAMEON dangerous goods training – Packing and shipping goods with dry ice.
11.2016. Roche Diagnostics Ltd LightCycler 480 Training
2015. Potato Plant Health Inspector
10.2011. Biotechnology YES Competition. Syngenta, Jealott's Hill.
06-07.2011. UKERC Energy Summer School, University of Warwick, Coventry.
01.2010. Statistics. University of Dundee.
11.2009. Radiation Safety Course. University of Dundee.
04-08.2009. Functional Genomics Facility. Barley transformation.
2007-2008. English for Speakers of Other Languages: English for Work and Study. Angus College, Arbroath.
07.2002. Biotechnology training (work placement) – Poviat Sanitary – Epidemiological / Disease Control / Centre in Świdwin.
07.2002. Biotechnology training (work placement) – Vitroflora Tissue Cultures Laboratory.
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HONOURS AND AWARDS
Reviewer for Microbiological Research, African Journal of Microbiology Research, Annals of Botany Plants, Annals of Microbiology, Scientia Horticulturae, Symbiosis. Plant and Soil and Weed Research.

2013. Shortlisted for the 1st Annual ‘MONOGRAM Early Career Excellence Award’.
2011. University of Dundee 2nd PiCLS Annual Symposium Committee.
2009. BBSRC Targeted Priority Ph.D. Studentship.
2005. Second best M.Sc. thesis of 350 defended in 2004.
2000–2004. Special educational stipend awarded on the basis of university exam results.
 

Current research interests

Currently studying cropped and wild legume species and their rhizobial symbionts, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in legumes and in non-legume plants and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. 

Scientist with extensive experience in molecular biology (e.g. gateway and yeast cloning, DNA and RNA extraction, and quantification, RNAi technology, Southern blots with DIG labelled DNA as a probe, qRT-PCR, protein work), microbiology (fungal and bacterial systems), insects culturing (aphids and vine weevil), cell biology, agroecology and bioinformatics. Trainee in HPLC analyses. Broad range of experience in glasshouse and field work with wide range of crop and wild species (including barley and bean crossing).

 

Past research

Involved in keeping and multiplying RIL population of faba beans, keeping and genotyping insects’ cultures.

As Potato Plant Health Inspector was monitoring quality and purity of seed potato crops at local farm fields.

Previously, worked with Rhynchosporium commune isolates and was genotyping fungal transformants, performed pathogenicity testing/phenotyping of barley cultivars, crossed barley, and was extracting and genotyping fungal ednophytes from barley roots.

During Ph.D., succeeded in genetic manipulation of lignin biosynthesis in grasses using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of barley in order to improve barley for second generation biofuels production. Managed to develop, optimize, and improve protocols and methods for characterization of generated transgenic barley plants.

Bibliography

  • Vasconcelos, M.W.; Grusak, M.A.; Pinto, E.; Gomes, A.; Ferreira, H.; Balázs, B.; Centofanti, T.; Ntatsi, G.; Savvas, D.; Karkanis, A.; Williams, M.; Vandenberg, A.; Toma, L.; Shrestha, S.; Akaichi, F.; Oré Barrios, C.; Gruber, S.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2020) The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact, In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Araújo, S., Gill, S. (eds.) The Plant Family Fabaceae: Biology and Physiological Responses to Environmental Stresses, Springer, 3-25
  • Halpin, C.; Shafiei, R.; Kam, J.; Wilson, Y.; Daly, P.; Maluk, M.; Zwirek, M.; McQueen-Mason, S.; Gomez, L.D.; Whitehead, C.; Comadran, J.; Uzrek, N.; Waugh, R. (2011) Towards biomass ideotypes for bioenergy - optimising lignin for biofuel and combustion., In: Bridgwater, A.V. (ed.). Proceedings of the Bioten Conference on Biomass Bioenergy and Biofuels 2010. CPL Press., pp72-77.

  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.j.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P. (2017) Teaming up for good: intercropping and farming-science partnership at the James Hutton Institute., NGO Report for www.LEAF.org, 8 November 2017.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.C.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P.J. (2017) Sustainable legume systems for improved primary produce., SAB Annual Report, May 2017.

  • Carmona, M.; Lafos, M.; Maluk, M.; Batista, M.B.; Junghare, M.; Faoro, H.; Magalhães, L.; Battistoni, F.J.; Souza, E.M.; Pedrosa, F.O.; Chen, W.M.; Prasad, G.; Poole, P.S.; Dixon, R.A.; James, E.K. (2018) Comparative genomics reveals Azoarcus comprises three genera: Azoarcus sensu stricto, Aromatoleum gen. nov. and Gallonia gen. nov., XVI Symposium on Biological Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes and IV LatinAmerican Workshop of PGPR. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 26 August - 1 September 2018. Book of Abstracts, Short Note II.V, pp39.
  • Black, K.; Walker, G.; White, P.J.; Maluk, M.; Squire, G.R.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2016) Intercropping: pea supported production of barley for brewing and distilling., In: Abstracts of the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Liverpool, 11-14 December 2016. Conference paper and presentation
  • James, E.K.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Maluk, M.; Young, M.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2016) Nitrogen fixation by faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in a 4 year crop rotation in East Scotland., 12th European Nitrogen Fixation Congress, Budapest, Hungary, 25-28 August 2016. (Conference paper, presentation and poster).

  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Boath, A.; James, E.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; Maluk, M.; Ferrando Molina, F.; Newton, A.C.; Quilliam, R.; Squire, G. (2018) The potential of legume-supported food- and feed-chains to strengthen capacities for sustainable economic development., CECHR Annual Symposium, University of Dundee, Dundee, 21 May 2018.
  • Maluk, M.; Lafos, M.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K. (2018) Developing elite rhizobial inoculants to improve the productivity of grain legume crops in the UK., XV European Society for Agronomy Congress (ESA), Geneva, Switzerland, 27-31 August 2018. (Poster presentation).
  • Ferrando-Molina, F.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.C.; Quilliam, R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2018) Screening of nodulating bacteria for tolerance to desiccation stress., The James Hutton Institute PhD Student Retreat, Birnam, Dunkeld, 8-9 March 2018. Poster presentation.

Printed from /staff/marta-maluk on 28/03/24 11:06:02 PM

The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.