Steffi Fritsche Email & Phone Number

Rotorua

Project Task Leader: Investigation of reproduction related genes and traits of conifer species• Main author of a successful proposal for Scions’ Postdoctoral Fellowship Program to provide funding for a Postdoc andco-author of the successful application "Make Wood not Love" for New Zealand’s “Smart Ideas” grant ($1 million).• Developed my knowledge e.g. in biolistic transformation methods, multiple-gateway cloning, gene discovery, gene regulation techniques • Coordinator for health & safety inspections for office and lab areas/ fire floor warden/ responsible for the assessment of the appropriate labeling/ storing of chemicals/ developing SOPs• Outreach: team member for the facilitation of an “Unlocking Curious Minds” day, a governmental supported fund to engage with local school students and educate about biotechnology/ ambassador for the NZ “future-in-tech” initiative that aims to increase the number of young New Zealanders choosing careers in technology, engineering and science .

Vancouver, Canada Area

Postdoctoral fellow in a Genome BC funded project: POPCAN- Genetic improvement of poplar trees as a Canadian bioenergy feedstock.• Project leader: Validation of SNP-trait association of chemical wood property trait genes in poplar using Arabidopsis as experimental systems. This work was presented by a talk and posters on international conferences.• Expanded my knowledge in floral dip transformation method, gene function and expression analysis, marker development, microscopy methods, sequence analysis and biostatistics• Training and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, guest lecturer in Biology of the Cell (BIOL 112), Poster judge for the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair (2013 – 2014).

Kiel Area, Germany

PhD project: Functional characterization of rapeseed tocopherol genes. • Leading and accomplishing a candidate gene association study for tocopherol content in rapeseed and successful development of CAPS marker for the selection of rapeseed accession with high tocopherol content. This work lead to two publications in Plant Breeding and Frontiers in Plant Science and one review on Antioxidants special issue "Vitamin E".• Received DFG Graduate Travel Award to talk at the 13. International Rapeseed Congress• Working with my project partners in Wuhan, China, improved my communication and team skills and taught me how to adapt at a multicultural workspace in a short time• Graduate teaching assistant plant biotechnology, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany, Responsibilities: Organization, preparation and teaching of lab classes, grading exams (ca. 30 students)

Hannover Area, Germany

• Project: Development of an in vitro regeneration and transformation system for pear (Pyrus communis)• Training in molecular biology and handling in vitro tissue cultures including sterilization, propagation, multiplication, A. tumefaciens mediated leaf disk transformation. • Training and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, guest lecturer in Biology of the Cell (BIOL 112), Poster judge for the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair (2013 – 2014).• Undergraduate teaching assistant for "Molecular plant biology and in vitro systems" courses, Leibniz University, Hanover, Germany, responsibilities: preparation and teaching of lab classes (ca. 20 students)

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Agricultural And Horticultural Plant Breeding, Excellent

PhD Thesis: “Functional characterization of genes from the tocopherol pathway and candidate gene association studies of tocopherol content.

Master'S Degree, Plant Biotechnology

Graduate Research at the Institute of Fruit Science (Dr. Iris Szankowski), Leibniz University, Hanover, Germany - Development.