Professor Rick Dixon

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Department of Biology|
University of York|

	Professor Rick Dixon Contact Details: CNAP Department of Biology (Area 7) University of York YO10 5YW Tel: 44-(0)1904 32 8760 Fax: 44-(0)1904 32 8762 Email: rd19@york.ac.uk WWW: CNAP web page
CAREER OUTLINE
1973	BA	University of Oxford
1976	MA, DPhil	University of Oxford
1976 - 1978	Postdoc	University of Cambridge
1978 - 1985	Lecturer	Department of Biochemistry, Royal Holloway College, University of London
1985 - 1988	Reader	Royal Holloway College, University of London
1988 -	Director	Plant Biology Division, Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma
2003 -	Professor	CNAP, Department of Biology, University of York
2004	DSc	University of Oxford
KEY RESEARCH INTERESTS AND DISCOVERIES Key research interests Biochemistry, molecular and structural biology of plant natural product biosynthesis. Metabolic engineering of natural products for plant improvement and animal/human health. Functional genomics of forage legumes. Signaling in plant-microbe interactions. Two references Xie, D.-Y., Sharma, S.B., Paiva, N.L., Ferreira, D. and Dixon, R.A. (2003). Role of anthocyanidin reductase, encoded by BANYULS, in plant flavonoid biosynthesis. Science 299, 396-399. Dixon, R.A. (2001). Natural products and disease resistance. Nature 411: 843-847. Discoveries We discovered that condensed tannins are synthesized via the intermediacy of anthocyanidins, opening up the possibility for genetic manipulation of tannins for human health and improvement of ruminant nutrition. Professional activities Editorial review boards: Annual Review of Plant Biology, Planta, Trends in Plant Science, Phytochemistry, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics Scientific advisory boards: Chromatin Inc, Chicago, Illinois.
CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS At the Noble Foundation: Title: Genomics approaches to plant natural product biosynthesis Funding source: Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Title: Genetic modification of lignin for improved forage digestibility Funding source: Forage Genetics International Title: Understanding and manipulating condensed tannin biosynthesis Funding source: Forage genetics International Title: Functional Genomics of Legume Seed Development Funding source: Private Sponsor Title: An integrated approach to functional genomics and bioinformatics in a model legume Funding source: National Science Foundation, Plant genome Research Title: Structural and Functional Studies of Plant Natural Product Uridine Diphosphate Glycosyltransferases Funding source: National Science Foundation, Metabolic Biochemistry Title: Genetic modification of health-promoting isoflavones Funding source: Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology Health Research Program. Title: Deciphering the complex networks in monolignol formation, phenylpropanoid coupling and lignin assembly: an integrative approach Funding source: US Department of Energy. At York: Title: The Noble Laboratory. Functional genomics of plant trichomes Funding Source: Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.
LAB MEMBERS At York (Professor Dixon co-directs the Noble Laboratory in CNAP with Professor Pierre Broun) Post doctoral fellows Naveed Aziz Katrin Besser Steve Slocombe Project title: Functional genomics of plant trichomes Technicians Andrea Harper Project title: Noble Laboratory support