1. K-State home
  2. »Schrick Lab

Schrick Lab

Kathrin Schrick LabLab imageLab imageLab imageLab image

Welcome to the Schrick Lab

Welcome to the Schrick Lab in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Our research bridges genetics and molecular biology as well as biochemistry and evolutionary biology!

Our lab is affiliated with the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group (BMBGG), Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology Program (MCDB), the Genetics Interdepartmental Graduate Program, the Ecological Genomics Institute, the Ecology, Evolution and Genomics Program (EEG), the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center, and the Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research.

Integrating growth and signaling networks in development

How does an embryo arise from a single cell?  Plant embryos establish an apical-basal axis comprised of organized tissues during early development. Among the tissues formed are stem cell populations that give rise to the shoot and the root. Our lab is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern how plant cells differentiate.

Within the last ~15 years, characterization of a group of sterol biosynthesis mutants of Arabidopsis revealed that sterol composition is crucial for cell-type differentiation. We are investigating the molecular functions of sterols in plants using genetics interfaced with systems biology platforms in genomics, proteomics, and lipidomics. Our quest to identify new lipid-binding signaling proteins has led to our study of plant-specific homeodomain transcription factors that contain START domains. Related to this, we are investigating evolutionary mechanisms that led to the emergence of the land plants from the Charophycean green algae ~450 million years ago. Learn more about our research by navigating this website.

Highlights

Jan. 13, 2024 - Congratulations to Lauren (Honorable Mention) and Jillian (Award of Excellence) for their poster presentation awards at the K-INBRE Symposium today!

Oct. 17, 2023 - Ayianna and Samira both received Cancer Research Awards for 2023-24. Congrats!

May 6, 2023 - Congratulations to Jillian and Lauren for receiving K-INBRE Scholarships for 2023-24!

April 10, 2023 - Hieu was named a Finalist for a Student Employee of the Year Award. Congrats!!!

Dec. 7, 2022 - Lauren and Samira received Cancer Research Awards for 2022-23! Congratulations!

Nov. 2, 2022 - Congrats to Bibek on his successful Ph.D. Defense today!

July 1, 2022 - Ashley received a College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Award for Fall 2022. Congrats!

May 20, 2022 - Congrats to Bibek for receiving the John C. Frazier Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Research in Plant Science!

May 12, 2022 - Hieu and Lauren received K-INBRE Scholarships for 2022-23, and Samira is the recipient of a College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Award for Summer 2022. Congratulations!

May 2, 2022 - Congratulations to Ashley for receiving a Most Promising Student Award in Biology, and congrats to Samira for her OURCI research award for spring 2022!

Jan. 14, 2022 - Ashley was one of three KSU undergrads to  receive a Poster Award at the K-INBRE Symposium! Congrats, Ashley!

Dec. 10, 2021 - Congrats to Ashley and Hieu for receiving Cancer Research Awards for 2021-22.

Nov. 17, 2021 - Hieu received an OURCI research award for fall 2021. Congrats, Hieu!

Nov. 5, 2021 - Congrats to Bibek for his second BGSA Research Award this year!

Nov. 4, 2021 - Hieu Nguyen has been named a McNair Scholar. Congratulations Hieu!

May 17, 2021 - Congrats to Adara for receiving the Watson Scholarship from the Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity as she enters the medical laboratory science program at North Kansas City Hospital!

May 7, 2021 - Ashley has received an OURCI research award for spring 2021! Congrats, Ashley!

April 30, 2021 - Congrats to Hieu for being named a Most Promising Student by the Division of Biology!

April 29, 2021 - Maggie Malmberg is the recipient of the 2021 H. H. Haymaker Award for Excellence. Congrats, Maggie!

April 20-22, 2021 - See Adara's presentation at the K-State Undergraduate Research Showcase.

April 19, 2021 - Congrats to Ashley for receiving a K-INBRE Scholarship for 2021-22!

April 19, 2021 - Congrats to Bibek for receiving a Summer Stipend from the JCRC and a ISC Scholarship from the Internal Student Center!

Dec. 7, 2020 - Congrats to Adara for receiving a Cancer Research Award for 2020-21.

Dec. 2, 2020 - Vaithish has published a first-author paper from Ph.D. work in Nature.  Congratulations!

July 2, 2020 - Bilal has a first author paper on the two-component system in chickpea in Genomics. Congratulations!

June 12, 2020 - Congrats to Vaithish on publication of his PLOS One paper, "Dietary flavonoid fisetin binds human SUMO1 and blocks sumoylation of p53."

April 26, 2020 - See Seth and Kyle at the Virtual 2020 Cancer Research Awards Banquet.  Congratulations to both!

April 19, 2020 - Congrats to Bibek for receiving a Summer Stipend from the JCRC!

April 14, 2020 - Bibek received this year's OIP Scholarship from the Office of International Students. Congrats to Bibek!

April 13, 2020 - Adara has been named a Most Promising Student by the Division of Biology. Congrats, Adara!

Jan. 18, 2020 - Congrats to Adara for an Outstanding Poster Award at the K-INBRE Symposium in Wichita!

Nov. 22, 2019 - Thiya will present an MCDB Seminar on "Homeodomain transcription factors of the green world" at 3 pm, AK 324.

May 10, 2019 - Our GROW paper has been published in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education.  Congrats to Thiya, Ruben & Kyle!

April 26, 2019 - Gabrielle Phillips has been named a 2019 Goldwater Scholar - Congrats to Brie!

Jan. 22, 2019 - Congrats to Seth for a Poster Award at the K-INBRE Symposium in Overland Park!

Dec. 5, 2018 - Kyle and Seth are recipients of Undergraduate Cancer Research Awards for 2018-19.

Oct. 3, 2018 - Congrats to Ruben for being selected an ASPB Conviron Scholar for 2018-19!

June 25, 2018 - Kyler is speaking in the Genetics and Omics Session of the NIH, NIGMS National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence in Washington DC!

April 2, 2018 - Vaithish is the recipient of the 2018 H. H. Haymaker Award for Excellence.  Congrats, Vaithish!

March 31, 2018 - Congrats to Thiya for recieving a K-INBRE Post-doctoral Award!

March 5, 2018 - Congrats to Kyler for an Oral Presentation Award at the MW ASPB Meeting in Ames, Iowa!

Feb. 14, 2018 - Congrats to Kyler for being accepted to Johns Hopkins University BMB PhD program!

Feb. 1, 2018 - Vaithish is named a Gates Cambridge Scholar!

Jan. 15, 2018 - Congrats to Vaithish for a Poster Award at the K-INBRE Symposium in Overland Park!

Dec. 11, 2017 - Welcome to Ruben Lerma-Reyes, Ph.D. rotation student, Interdepartmental Genetics.

Nov. 9, 2017 - Vaithish is named a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship.

Nov. 6, 2017 – Thiya will present an MCDB Seminar on "A Homeodomain transcription factor, its START domain and epidermal development" at 4 pm, AK 324.

Aug. 4, 2017 – Ecology and Evolution in Changing Environments REU Symposium, 9 am -12:30 pm, AK 232.

July 8, 2017 – Science Saturday at the Sunset Zoo featured the Biology REU students.

June 12, 2017 – Kathrin receives a Big12 Faculty Fellowship to visit Iowa State University in 2017-18.

May 30, 2017 – Welcome to Jordan Trant who is participating in the REU program in Biology this summer.

May 19, 2017 – Vaithish is named the Sigma Xi Undergraduate Representative from Kansas State University.

May 2, 2017 – Vaithish is selected as campus candidate for the Rhodes/Marshall Scholarship.

April 28, 2017 – Vaithish receives a Dr. Brian Spooner Scholarship.

April 21, 2017 – Johnson Cancer Center Awards banquet.  Vaithish and Kyler receive Undergraduate Research Awards.

April 19, 2017 – Kyler receives the K-INBRE StAR Trainee Scholarship for 2017-18.

March 31, 2017 – Congrats to Vaithish, the recipient of a Goldwater Scholarship for 2017-18.