ANKIT WALIA

Driven and experienced scientist with strong background in scientific research, teaching, mentoring, publishing in top journals. Actively involved in students growth and development with strong commitment for their career progression. Editorial experience in a top science journal evaluating research manuscripts. Demonstrated ability to contribute to impactful research projects and collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams.

• Teaching Supervisions, Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Plant and Microbial Sciences, IB PMS (Second Year course: tutorials to group of 2-3 students)
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, Botany, UBC, Plant Physiology and Plant Development (BIOL 351 & BIOL 352) Laboratory Investigations in Life Science (BIOL 140) Plant Physiology (BIOL 351) Cell Biology I - Structural Basis (BIOL 200), Basic Genetics (BIOL 334)
• Courses and Workshops, Effective Undergraduate Supervision (Life Sciences), University of Cambridge, UK Supervising Graduate Students, University of Cambridge, UK Instructional Skills Workshop, University of BC – teaching and academic growth, Canada

· ERC Starting Grant (awarded to Alexander Jones) – CELL HORMONE (2017). Wrote a grant section that was

focused on my work.

· Travel Award, Frontiers in Plant Research workshop, John Innes Center, UK (2014)

· Graduate Tuition Award, University of BC (2005-09)

· VanDusen Graduate Fellowship in Forestry, University of BC (2003-04)

· Hugh Robert Duncan Chisholm Scholarship in Forestry, University of BC (2002-03)

· Merit Scholarship (B.Sc.), Dr. Y.S. Parmar University, India (1996-98)

Walia A, Carter R, Wightman R, Meyerowitz E, Jönsson H and Jones AM (2024). Differential growth is an emergent property of mechanochemical feedback mechanisms in curved plant organs. Developmental Cell https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4677553 (Accepted)

Shi Bihai, Benavent FA, Cerutti G, Ampudia-Galvan C, …Walia A…Achard P, Vernoux T. A quantitative signalling biosensor reveals a role for gibberellins in internode specification in the shoot apical meristem (2024). Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48116-4

Walia A*, Waadt R*, and Jones AM (2018). Genetically Encoded Biosensors in Plants: Pathways to Discovery. Annual Review of Plant Biology; 69: 497-524 10.1146/annurev-arplant-042817-040104

Rizza A, Walia A, Tang B, and Jones AM (2018) Imaging of FRET-based Gibberellin biosensor, nlsGPS1, in higher plants. Journal of Visualized Experiments(JoVE). 10.3791/58739 

Lindeboom JJ, Nakamura M, Saltini M, Hibbel A, Walia A, Ketelaar T, Emmons, AMC, Sedbrook J, Kirk V, Mulder B and Ehrhardt DW (2018). CLASP stabilizes microtubule plus ends after severing to facilitate blue light induced microtubule reorientation. Journal of Cell Biology 10.1083/jcb.201805047

Rizza A, Walia A, Lanquar V, Frommer WB and Jones AM (2017). In vivo gibberellin gradients visualized in rapidly elongating tissues. Nature Plants; 3: 803-813. 10.1038/s41477-017-0021-9

Walia A, Nakamura M, Moss D, Kirik V, Hashimoto, T and Ehrhardt DW (2014). GCP-WD mediates g-TuRC recruitment and the geometry of microtubule nucleation in the acentrosomal interphase arrays of Arabidopsis. Current Biology; 24: 2548-2555. 10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.013

Walia A, Lee JS, Wasteneys GO and Ellis BE (2009). Arabidopsis Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase MPK18 mediates cortical microtubule functions in plant cells. The Plant Journal; 59: 565-575. 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2009.03895.x

Walia A, Guy RD and White JB (2010). Carbon isotope discrimination in Tsuga heterophylla and its relationship to mineral nutrition and growth. Tree Physiology; 30: 728-740. 10.1093/treephys/tpq020

Samuel MA, Walia A, Mansfield SD and Ellis BE (2005). Overexpression of SIPK in tobacco enhances ozone-induced ethylene formation and blocks ozone-induced SA accumulation. Journal of Experimental Botany; 56(418): 2195-2201. 10.1093/jxb/eri219

In Preparation

Walia A and Jones AM (2025). Developmental Cell (Possible review, invited).

Walia A and Jones AM (2025). Journal of Experimental Botany (Possible review, invited).

• International Plant Cell Wall Meeting (XV Cell wall meeting), Cambridge, UK (Poster, 2019)
• International Plant Molecular Biology (IPMB) Congress, France (Talk, 2018)
• Sainsbury Laboratory Seminar, Cambridge, UK (Talk, 2017)
• Mechanisms in Plant Development, FASEB, USA (Poster, 2017)
• International Conference of Arabidopsis Research, USA (Talk & Poster, 2017)
• John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK (Shortlisted candidate for the Fellow’s Day, Talk, 2015)
• Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, USA (Talk, 2015).
• Plant and Microbial Cytoskeleton, Gordon Research Conference, USA (Poster, 2014)
• ‘Frontiers in Plant Research’ workshop, John Innes Centre, Norwich (Talk, 2014)