e-mail:santokh @mail.ubc.ca
office phone: (604) 822-3330
lab phone: (604) 822-5036

Senior Instructor, Dept. of Botany
M.Sc. Punjab Agricultural University (1981);
Ph.D. Australian National University (1988);
Research Assistant, Australian National University (1988);
Research Pool Officer, Punjab Agricultural University (1989);
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Saskatchewan (1989-1992);
Research Associate, Botany, UBC (1992-97);
Lecturer, Botany, UBC (1994, 1997-99);
Instructor, Botany, UBC (1999-2002);
Cell Biology & Genetics Undergraduate Program Advisor, Biology Program, UBC.

Teaching and Research Interests:
I contribute to teaching courses in plant physiology and cell biology. I am also responsible for coordinating the plant physiology teaching laboratories. In addition, I supervise research projects of undergraduate students, taking directed studies course in biology.

The broad area of my research deals with hormonal and environmental regulation of various physiological and biochemical processes during growth and development of plants.

Current research in my lab focuses on (1) The role of plant hormones, cytokinin and ethylene in leaf senescence using IPT- transformed plants and cytokinin mutants (2) transport, biosynthesis and metabolism of cytokinin in plants (3) cytokinin- and light-induced expression of chlorophylla,b-binding gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (4) the role of cadmium ion in expression of nitrate transporter genes in Arabidopsis thaliana (5) hormonal regulation of propagation of ornamental plants, especially the Phormium species (New Zealand flax) using both the in vitro tissue culture methods
as well as hormone applications (6) nitrogen recycling mechanism(s) during phenylpropanoid metabolism in plants and fungi (collaboration with Dr. Neil Towers, UBC).

Penugonde, R., Kao, K., Schnerch, A. and Singh, S. 2002. Cytokinin and ethylene in relation to dark-induced leaf senescence in PSAG12-IPT transgenic and wild-type tobacco. Presented at the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists in Calgary, Canada (July 8-12).

Kiarostami, P., Chui, S., Chan, M., and Singh, S. 2002. Cytokinin regulation of CAB gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana and Hordeum vulgare. Presented at the University of British Columbia Inaugural Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference in Vancouver, Canada (Sept. 27 – 28).

Dhillon, N. and Singh, S. 2001. Cytokinins in relation to leaf senescence in the altered meristem program 1 (amp1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana. Presented at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association in Kelowna, Canada (July 23-27).

Singh, S, NG Lewis & GHN Towers. 1998. Nitrogen recycling during phenylpropanoid metabolism in sweet potato tubers. Journal of Plant Physiology 153: 316-323.

Singh, S & VK Sawhney. 1998. Abscisic acid in a male sterile tomato mutant and its regulation by low temperature. Journal of Experimental Botany 49: 199-203.

Green, BR, S Singh, I Babic, C Bladen, & AM Johnson-Flanagan. 1998. Relationship of chlorophyll, seed moisture and ABA levels in the maturing Brassica napus seed and effect of a mild freezing stress. Physiologia Plantarum 104: 125-133.

Singh, S, NG Lewis & GHN Towers. 1998. Nitrogen recycling during phenylpropanoid metabolism in sweet potato tubers. Journal of Plant Physiology 153: 316-323.

Singh, S & VK Sawhney. 1998. Abscisic acid in a male sterile tomato mutant and its regulation by low temperature. Journal of Experimental Botany 49: 199-203.

Singh, S, J McCallum, MY Gruber, GHN Towers, AD Muir, BA Bohm, MR Koupai-Abyazani & ADM Glass. 1997. Biosynthesis of flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins by leaf extracts of Onobrychis viciifolia. Phytochemistry 44: 425-432.

Badenoch-Jones, J, CW Parker, DS Letham & S Singh. 1996. Effect of cytokinins supplied via the xylem at multiples of endogenous concentrations on transpiration and senescence in derooted seedlings of oat and wheat. Plant, Cell & Environment 19: 504-516.

Razal, R, S Ellis, S Singh, NG Lewis, & GHN Towers. 1996. Nitrogen recycling in phenylpropanoid metabolism. Phytochemistry 41: 31-35.