Ibore Natukunda, Martha

• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Genetics & Genomics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 

• Ph.D., Genetics & Genomics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 

• B.S., Agriculture/Crop Science, Makerere University, Uganda

The Ibore Natukunda lab utilizes interdisciplinary approaches such as genetics, molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics methodologies to study plant traits of economic and agronomic importance. In our ongoing research projects, sorghum is utilized as a model to study the genetic basis of leaf angle in sorghum. In the summer of 2027, we will conduct gene knockout studies using CRISPR-Cas to silence leaf angle candidate genes, and observe changes to sorghum leaf angle and expression of other leaf angle-related genes . We will also utilize molecular methodologies to confirm successful gene knockout using the following steps: RNA Extraction → cDNA synthesis → RT-PCR → RT-qPCR. Undergraduate researchers will work with the research mentor to conduct experiments (plant sorghum), measure leaf angle, sample collar tissue, extract RNA, conduct gene expression analysis, and prepare samples for RNA-seq at the Western South Dakota Genetics & Genomics Core Facility for sequencing (WestCore) at Black Hills State University . When working on this project, students will also learn additional interdisciplinary methods used to study the genetic basis of traits and how to use publicly available data analysis tools to analyze large biological datasets.