David Samson

Emails: xxxxx@psu.edu david.samson@curtislab.orgLinkedIN ; Pfizer, Pearl RIver

Background

Obtained BS Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland (with a study abroad @ University of Glasgow). I am a avid bagpipe player.

I am currently finishing up my MS degree while working for Pfizer;

Research Project(s)

The recent discovery of the enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway for mushroom bioluminescence opens the door for the use of light emission for gene reporting that has many orders of magnitude higher signal-to-noise than flourescence. The potential for this pathway is great for plants, since the luciferin substrate is a cell wall precursor present in all plants. The goal of my project is to see if it is possible to create a polyprotein (single transcript) that will generate the biosynthetic components of the luciferin pathway via self-cleaving inteins after protein expression.

I have also contributed to numerous other project components including improved reporter genes to avoid the background expression from Agrobacterium in the rapid testing protocols (transient expression) caused by the activity of plant promoters in this vector used for DNA delivery to plants.

Publications/Presentations

2022 ASPB presentation slides (Luciferin Biosynthesis

2022 SIVB Presentation (co-author): Advanced Reporter Genes for Transient Expression