Ian Tetlow

Dr. Ian Tetlow is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, part of the College of Biological Science. His research focuses on plant metabolism regulation, particularly carbohydrate metabolism in plastids, with applications in crop yield improvement and starch structure design for industry. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and a Ph.D. from University College of North Wales (Bangor). His career includes postdoctoral work at the University of Manchester and a Leverhulme Special Research Fellowship. Current research collaborations span academic institutions and industry partners globally. He leads a lab in SSC 4409-10 and advises graduate students in Ph.D. and MSc programs.

Research interests include starch biosynthesis regulation in Arabidopsis, cereal endosperms, and amyloplasts, with emphasis on protein phosphorylation, enzyme coordination, and starch granule structure. Applied projects aim to enhance starch properties for food and non-food uses. Collaborations include Dr. Michael Emes (University of Guelph) and Dr. Matthew Morell (International Rice Research Institute). Funding sources include OMAFRA, NSERC, and Genome Canada.

• Key Awards: Leverhulme Special Research Fellowship
• Lab Members: Graduate students (Victoria Butler, Myah Crosby) and post-docs (Dr. Liping Wang)
• Recent Publications: Focus on CRISPR-edited starch enzymes, protein phosphorylation mechanisms, and temperature effects on wheat starch.

His work bridges fundamental biology with agricultural applications, contributing to molecular-level understanding of starch synthesis and its global implications for food security and industry.