The overall focus of my research is to understand the mechanism of targeting and import of proteins into chloroplasts as a model for intracellular protein trafficking. We use a combination of molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysical approaches to understand the structural and functional details of the chloroplast protein import machinery.

• Faculty of Science Award for Teaching Excellence, Established Faculty category (2017).
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery Accelerator Supplement recipient (2010).
• Early Researcher Award recipient from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation (2007).
• Canada Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Award recipient (2006).

I have on-going opportunities in my research lab for undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, who are interested in cell biology, plant biology, molecular biology, and protein biochemistry research.

• Richardson, L.G., Paila, Y., Siman, S., Chen, Y., Smith, M.D. and Schnell, D.J. 2014. “Targeting and assembly of components of the TOC protein import complex at the chloroplast outer envelope membrane”. Frontiers in Plant Science, 5:269. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00269.
• Yan, Y., Campbell, J., Glick, B.R., Smith, M.D.* and Liang, Y.* 2014. “Molecular characterization and expression analysis of chloroplast protein import components in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)”. PLoS ONE, 9(4): e94088. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095088. *co-corresponding authors.
• Dutta, S., Teresinski, H. and Smith, M.D. 2014. “A split-ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid screen to examine the substrate specificity of atToc159 and atToc132, two Arabidopsis chloroplast preprotein import receptors”. PLoS ONE, 9(4): e95026. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095026.
• Hoang, T., Smith, M.D. and Jelokhani-Niaraki, M. 2013. “Expression, folding and proton transport activity of human uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in lipid membranes: evidence for associated functional forms”. J Biol Chem, 288(51): 36244-36258. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M113.509935.
• Hoang, T., Smith, M.D. and Jelokhani-Niaraki, M. 2012. “Towards understanding the mechanism of ion transport activity of neuronal uncoupling proteins – UCP2, UCP4 and UCP5”. Biochemistry, 51, 4004-4014.
• Smith, M.D and Jelokhani-Niaraki, M. 2012. “pH-induced changes in intrinsically disordered proteins”. In, Methods in Molecular Biology Series #896: Intrinsically Disordered Protein Analysis, Vol. 2, Methods and Experimental Tools. V.N. Uversky & A.K. Dunker, Eds. Pgs. 223-231. Springer Protocols, Humana Press.
• Dhanoa, P.K., Richardson, L.G.L., Smith, M.D., Gidda, S.K., Henderson, M.P.A., Andrews, D.W. and Mullen, R.T. 2010. “Distinct pathways mediate the sorting of tail-anchored proteins to the plastid outer envelope”. PLoS ONE, 5(4): e10098. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010098.
• Ivanova, M., Hoang, T., McSorley, F.R., Krnac, G., Smith, M.D. and Jelokhani-Niaraki, M. 2010. “A comparative study on conformation and ligand binding of the neuronal uncoupling proteins”. Biochemistry, 49:512-521.
• Richardson, L.G., Jelokhani-Niaraki, M. and Smith, M.D. 2009. “The acidic domains of the Toc159 chloroplast preprotein receptor family are intrinsically disordered protein domains”. BMC Biochemistry, 10:35.
• Jelokhani-Niaraki, M., Ivanova, M., McIntyre, B.L., Newman, C.L., McSorley, F.R., Young, E.K. and Smith, M.D. 2008. “A circular dichroism study of uncoupling protein-1 and its transmembrane and matrix-loop domains”. Biochem J, 411: 593-603.
• Smith, M.D. 2006. “Protein import into chloroplasts: an ever-evolving story”. Can J Bot, 84: 531-542.
• Smith, M.D. and Schnell, D.J. 2005. “Chloroplast protein targeting: multiple pathways for a complex organelle”. In, Protein movement across membranes. J. Eichler, ed, Landes Biosci, Georgetown, TX.

Recent Undergraduate Courses:

• BI110 - Unifying Life Processes
• BI338 - Cells: Form and Function
• BI346 - Advanced Molecular Biology
• BI441 - Recombinant DNA Technology

• Laurier opens new rooftop research greenhouse as part of open doors 2015 event.