1. SARA S. JAWDY, M.S.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Molecular biologist with more than 10 years of experience utilizing laboratory techniques to support the
field of plant molecular biology research. My skills include those needed for all stages of the
experimental process from experimental design to data analysis in field, greenhouse and growth
chamber settings. In addition, I have managed a laboratory of ~15 users and coordinated collaboration
across institutions to support the advancement of plant molecular biology research.
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Illumina technologies
• MiSeq and HiSeq
• Genomic fragment library
synthesis
• Mate-pair library synthesis
• Small RNA library synthesis
• RNA library synthesis
• Roche 454 pyrosequencing
• ABI 3730 sequencing
• qPCR (multiplex) using ABI
StepOnePlus and 7900HT
• Bio-Rad Experion
automated electrophoresis
• Whole genome
amplification
• Sterile tissue culture
• Shoot tip sterilization and
sub-culture
• Protoplast assays
• Histochemical analysis of
stem tissue
• Field sampling organization
and execution
• Lab space management
• Standard cloning
• Standard and Tail-PCR
• Primer design
• Rolling circle amplification
• DNA and RNA extraction
• Online functional
annotation database queries
(TAIR and Phytozome)
• Microsoft Office
• ABI qPCR analysis
• Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100
• Experion
• Nucleic acid quantification
using Fluoroskan Ascent,
NanoDrop and Qubit
• Gel electrophoresis
• Confocal microscopy
experience
• Plant care and maintenance
in greenhouse
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Technical staff - Plant Systems Biology Group, Biological Sciences Division, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
2007-present
• The primary technical support for the molecular biology needs of the plant systems biology group
at ORNL on a variety of different projects. I provide support needed to bring an expression
analysis and transcriptomic capability to our group that didn’t exist before I joined. This includes
optimizing RNA extraction techniques for a wide variety of plant species, cDNA synthesis, qPCR,
various types of RNA and DNA next generation library prep methods and sequencing on Illumina
MiSeq and Roche 454 platforms as well as a variety of molecular biology techniques.
• Provide key technical support for a wide range of multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional projects
including but not limited to the Bioenergy Science Center (BESC), a plant-microbe interaction (PMI)
project, a crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) research project, a Sphagnum research project and
the Gene Atlas project.
• Responsible for design, organization, implementation and analysis of experiments in tissue culture,
greenhouse and field conditions.
• Relied upon to act as the point of contact between the ORNL Plant Systems Biology group and
collaborators such as the JGI, Hudson Alpha and commercial high-throughput sequencing
companies.

2. Sara S. Jawdy, MS p.2
• Laboratory space manager responsible for the technical and safety training of ~15 lab space users
and additional external users. I coordinate maintenance of molecular biology lab equipment and
keep the lab stocked with common use items and reagents. Additionally I interface with facilities
managers to maintain general lab upkeep.
• Oak Ridge National Lab Biosciences Division Distinguished Achievement Award in recognition of
outstanding technical support. 2011
Post M.S. Intern - Plant Systems Biology Group, Biological Sciences Division, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
2006 –2007
• Supported research for a variety of projects including genome-enabled discovery of carbon
sequestration genes in Populus and accelerated domestication of Populus. I utilized EST
sequencing and microarray analysis as well as various other molecular biology techniques.
M.S. student - University of Tennessee, Knoxville/Plant Systems Biology Group, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
2003 –2006
• Completed a Master’s of Science degree in Plant Biotechnology
• Conducted and analyzed auxin hormone experiments on Populus in collaboration with the
University of Florida
• Used an Applied Biosystems 3730 DNA analyzer to sequence Populus ESTs and analyzed the
resulting transcripts.
Post Bachelors Intern - Physiological Ecology Group, Environmental Sciences Division, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
2000-2003
• Supported research related to the response of a closed-canopy deciduous forest, (Liquidambar
styraciflua) to increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations
• Responsible for field sample collection, processing and analysis
• Collected data from the field such as soil moisture and tree diameter
Student intern - Plant Genetics and Breeding, Penn State University, State College, PA
1997-2000
• Propagated, maintained and collected greenhouse and field trial data on geranium plants in a
geranium breeding program
Student intern - The Penn State University Trial Gardens, Penn State University, State College, PA
1999-2000
• Assisted with propagation, established field trials and collected data on over 400 new ornamental
and vegetable plant varieties
EDUCATION
Master of Science, Plant Sciences/Plant Biotechnology (2006)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Thesis: “Expression analysis of genes in Populus induced by exogenous auxin treatment”
Bachelor of Science, Horticulture, Plant Breeding Emphasis (2000)
The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

3. Sara S. Jawdy, MS p.3
PUBLICATIONS
1. Bryan AC, Guo HB, Guo J, Ranjan P, Weighill D, Jacobson D, Jawdy S, Guo H, Tuskan GA, Chen JG,
Muchero W. A variable polyglutamine repeat affect subcellular localization and regulatory activity of
a Populus ANGUSTIFOLIA. (submitted)
2. Muchero W, Bryan AC, Chen JG, Guo HB, Tschaplinski TJ, Singan VR, Lindquist E, Payyavula RS,
Barros-Rios J, Dixon R, Engle NL, Yee KL, Sykes R, Jawdy S, Gunter LE, Thompson OA, Difazio SP,
Evans LM, Winkler K, Collins C, Schmutz J, Guo H, Kalluri UC, Rodriguez MA, Feng K, Xie M, Tuskan
GA. A 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase-like gene is a transcriptional regulator of
Phenylpropanoid and Flavonoid Pathways. (submitted)
3. Bryan AC, Jawdy S, Gunter LE, Gjersing E, Sykes R, Hinchee M, Winkler K, Collins C, Engle NL,
Tschaplinski TJ, Yang X, Tuskan GA, Muchero W, Chen JG. Knock-down of a laccase in Populus
deltoides confers altered cell wall chemistry and increased sugar release. Plant Biotechnology J.
(2016)
4. Czarnecki O, Bryan AC, Jawdy S, Yang X, Cheng ZM, Chen JG, Tuskan GA. Simultaneous knock-down
of six non-fmaily genes using a single synthetic RNAi fragment in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant
Methods. 12:16 (2016)
5. Muchero W, Guo J, Difazio SP, Chen JG, Ranjan P, Slavov GT, Gunter LE, Jawdy S, Bryan, AC, Sykes R,
Ziebell A, Klapste J, Porth I, Skyba O, Unda F. (2015) High-resolution Genetic Mapping of Allelic
Variants Associated With Cell Wall Chemistry in Populus. BMC Genomics 16 (1):24 (2015)
6. Timm Collin M, Campbell Alisha G, Utturkar Sagar M, Jun Se Ran, Parales Rebecca E, Tan Watumesa,
Robeson Michael Scott, Lu Tse-Yuan, Jawdy Sara, Brown Steven D., Ussery David W, Schadt
Christopher Warren, Tuskan Gerald A, Doktycz Mitchel J, Weston David Joseph, Pelletier Dale Adam
“Metabolic functions of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains from Populus deltoides depend on
rhizosphere or endosphere isolation compartment” Frontiers in Microbiology 6 (2015)
7. Payyavula RS, Tschaplinski TJ, Jawdy SS, Sykes RW, Tuskan GA, Kalluri UC. "Metabolic profiling
reveals altered sugar and secondary metabolism in response to UGPase overexpression in Populus."
BMC plant biology 14:265 (2014)
8. Busby PE, Ximmerman N, Weston DJ, Jawdy SS, Houbraken J, Newcombe G. "Leaf endophytes and
Populus genotype affect severity of damage from the necrotrophic leaf pathogen, Drepanopeziza
populi." Ecosphere 1-12 (2013)
9. Martin MZ, Gunter LE, Jawdy SS, Wullschleger SD, Wheeler CS, Jha AK. "Genetic Improvement,
Sustainable Production and Scalable Small Microenterprise of Jatropha as a Biodiesel Feedstock."
OMICS: Journal of Bioremediation and Biodegradation, http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-6199.S4-
002, (2013)
10. Karve AA, Jawdy SS, Gunter KE, Allen SM, Yang X, Guskan GA, Wullschleger SD, Weston DJ. "Initial
characterization of shade avoidance response suggests functional diversity between Populus
phytochrome B genes." New Phytologist 196.3: 726-737 (2012)
11. Weston DJ, Pelletier DA, Morrell-Falvey JL, Tschaplinski TJ, Jawdy SS, Lu T-Y, Allen SM, Melton SJ,
Martin MZ, Schadt CW, Karve AA, Chen J-G, Yang X, Doktycz MJ, Tuskan GA. "Pseudomonas
fluorescens induces strain-dependent and strain-independent host plant responses in defense
networks, primary metabolism, photosynthesis, and fitness." Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
25.6: 765-778 (2012)
12. Marcus Foston , Christopher A. Hubbell , Reichel Samuel , Seokwon Jung , Hu Fan , Shi-You
Ding, Yining Zeng , Sara Jawdy, Mark Davis, Robert Sykes, Erica Gjersing , Gerald A.
Tuskan, Udaya Kalluri and Arthur J. Ragauskas. Chemical, ultrastructural and supramolecular

4. Sara S. Jawdy, MS p.4
analysis of tension wood in Populus tremula x alba as a model substrate for reduced recalcitrance.
Energy and Environmental Science. 4:4962-4971 (2011)
13. Weston DJ, AA Karve, LE Gunter, SS Jawdy, X Yang, SM Allen, SD Wullschleger. 2010. Comparative
physiology and transcriptional networks underlying the heat shock response in Populus trichocarpa,
Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max. Plant Cell and Environment. 34(9):1488 (2011)
14. Yang X, Tschaplinski TJ, Hurst GB, Jawdy SS, Abraham PE, Lankford PK, Adams RM, Manesh BS,
Hettick RL, Lindquist E, Kalluri UC, Gunter LE, Pennacchio C, Tuskan GA. "Discovery and annotation
of small proteins using genomics, proteomics, and computational approaches." Genome research
21.4: 634-64 (2011)
15. Olga Pechanova, Chuan-Yu Hsu, Joshua P Adams, Tibor Pechan, Lindsay Vandervelde,
Jenny Drnevich, Sara Jawdy, Ardeshir Adeli, Jeffrey C Suttle, Amanda M Lawrence, Timothy J
Tschaplinski, Armand Séguin, and Cetin Yuceer. Apoplast proteome reveals that extracellular matrix
contributes to multistress response in poplar. BMC genomics. 11:674 (2010)
16. Ranjan P, Yin T., Zhang X, Kalluri UC, Yang X, Jawdy SS, Tuskan GA. "Bioinformatics-based
identification of candidate genes from QTLs associated with cell wall traits in Populus." BioEnergy
Research 3.2: 172-182 (2010)
17. Yang, X., Jawdy, S., Tschaplinski, T. J., Tuskan, G.A. Genome-wide identification of lineage specific
genes in Arabidopsis, Oryza and Populus. Genomics 93:473-480. (2009)
18. Kalluri, Udaya C., et al. "Auxin Signaling and Response Mechanisms and Roles in Plant
Growth and Development." In Auxin Signaling and Response Mechanisms and Roles in Plant Growth
and Development., 231-254, Enfield, NH: Science Publishers, Enfield, New Hampshire., (2010)
19. Yang X, U Kalluri, TM Yin, SS Jawdy, LE Gunter, T J Tschaplinski, DJ Weston, P Ranjan, GA Tuskan. F-
box gene family is expanded in herbaceous annual plants Arabidopsis and rice relative to woody
perennial plant Populus. Plant Physiology 148 (3): 1189-1200 (2008)
20. Yin, T.M. S.P DiFazio, L.E. Gunter, S.S. Jawdy, W. Boerjan and G.A. Tuskan. Genetic and physical
mapping of Melampsora rust resistance genes in Populus and characterization of linkage
disequilibrium and flanking genomic sequence. New Phytologist 164:95-105 (2004)
21. Norby, R.J, J. Sholtis, C.A. Gunderson and S.S. Jawdy. Leaf dynamics of a deciduous forest canopy:
no response to elevated CO2. Oceologia 136:574-584 (2003)
PRESENTATIONS
1. (Poster) S. Jawdy, A. Sreedasyam, J. Schmutz, G.Tuskan, “JGI Plant Gene Atlas: Use of Transcriptome
Expression Analysis to Study Nitrogen Uptake in Root and Leaf Tissue of Populus trichocarpa”,
CROPS conference, Huntsville, AL, May 2015.
2. (Oral Presentation) S. Jawdy, T. Tschaplinski, U. Kalluri, T. Yin, S. Jawdy, L. Gunter, M. Martin, N.
Engle, X. Yang, V. Busov, S. Strauss, C. M3, M. Davis, R. Sykes G.A. Tuskan, “Extreme Wood Chemistry
Phenotypes in a Populus Activation Tagged Population”, BESC Retreat, Asheville, NC, June 2010.
3. (Poster) S. Jawdy, T. Tschaplinski, U. Kalluri, T. Yin, L. Gunter, M. Martin, N. Engle, X. Yang, V. Busov,
S. Strauss, C. Ma, M. Davis, R. Sykes, G.A. Tuskan, “The Use of TAIL PCR to Identify Genes Controlling
Extreme Phenotypes in a Populus Activation Tagged Population”, GTL meeting, 2009.
4. (Oral Presentation) S. Jawdy. Expression analysis of genes in Populus induced by exogenous auxin
treatment. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, May 2006.
5. (Poster) S. Jawdy, S.P. DiFazio, U.C. Kalluri, J.M. Davis, A.M. Morse, C. Dervinis, K.E. Smith and G.A.
Tuskan. Using SSH and RCA to identify auxin-responsive transcripts in Populus. 12th
New Phytologist
Symposium: Functional genomics of environmental adaptation in Populus. Gatlinburg, TN, October
2004.