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Dorothea Tholl

Professor of Biological Sciences
tholl
409 Latham Hall (MC 0390)
220 Ag Quad Lane
Blacksburg, VA 24061
USA
tholl@vt.edu
(540) 231-4567

Major Fields of Interest

Biology, Functional Genomics, and Biochemistry of Chemical Communication

Current Research

The Tholl Lab studies the formation and biological functions of small molecules or "info"-chemicals in organism-environment interactions. Current research is focused on the 1) Genomics, metabolism, and functions of volatile "messengers" in plant roots and the rhizosphere; 2) Biochemical evolution, chemical ecology and genetic engineering of insect pheromones.

  • 2011-2018 Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
  • 2005-2011 Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
  • 2003-2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Mentor/Collaborator: Eran Pichersky; Joint appointment as junior group leader with Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany. Mentor: Jonathan Gershenzon
  • 1997-2002 Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany. Mentor: Jonathan Gershenzon
  • 1997-1998 Visiting scientist, laboratory of Rodney Croteau, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
  • 1996 Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Biology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany; summa cum laude, “Purification, cloning and heterologous expression of a homospermidine synthase from Rhodopseudomonas viridis”
  • 1992 Diploma Major Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Minor Microbiology and Organic Chemistry, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, Diploma thesis “Characterization of transgenic tobacco cells containing the gene of a bacterial lysine decarboxylase”
  • 2017 Wernsman Seminar Speaker Award, NC State.
  • 2016 Recognized through the Virginia Tech National Distinction Program.
  • 2016 Department of Biological Sciences Outstanding Service Award.
  • 2016 Elected Co-Chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Plant Volatiles.
  • 2015 Virginia Tech College of Science Diversity Award (to all members of the Biological Sciences diversity committee since its inception).
  • 2011 Virginia Tech Scholar of the Week.
  • 2007 Arthur C. Neish Young Investigator Award, Phytochemical Society of North America.
  • 2006 Full Membership of Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society; Virginia Tech University Chapter).
  • 2005 International Travel Supplemental Grant Award, Virginia Tech.

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