George van der Merwe, University of Guelph

Research

Cell survival Molecular adaptation Posttranslational modifications Protein degradation Transcriptional regulation Yeast carbon metabolism Yeast stress response

Latest papers

European farmhouse brewing yeasts form a distinct genetic group.
Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2024
Kveik Brewing Yeasts Demonstrate Wide Flexibility in Beer Fermentation Temperature Tolerance and Exhibit Enhanced Trehalose Accumulation.
Frontiers in microbiology · 2022 · senior author
Autophagy gene overexpression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae perturbs subcellular organellar function and accumulates ROS to accelerate cell death with relevance to sparkling wine production.
Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2018 · senior author

All 11 publications

Latest funding

Regulating regulators to survive nutrient limitation: Lessons from yeast
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$192,000
Bioproducts analysis facilties
NSERC · 2014 · Co-investigator
$122,420
From Feast to Famine: Regulating carbon metabolism in yeast
NSERC · 2014 · Principal investigator
$205,000

All 7 grants and awards

11 publications.

01

European farmhouse brewing yeasts form a distinct genetic group.

Preiss R, Fletcher E, Garshol LM, Foster B, Ozsahin E, Lubberts M, van der Merwe G, Krogerus K

Applied microbiology and biotechnology2024

DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13267-3 PMID: 39093468

02

Kveik Brewing Yeasts Demonstrate Wide Flexibility in Beer Fermentation Temperature Tolerance and Exhibit Enhanced Trehalose Accumulation.

Foster B, Tyrawa C, Ozsahin E, Lubberts M, Krogerus K, Preiss R, van der Merwe G

Frontiers in microbiology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.747546 PMID: 35369501

03

Autophagy gene overexpression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae perturbs subcellular organellar function and accumulates ROS to accelerate cell death with relevance to sparkling wine production.

Preiss R, Tyrawa C, van der Merwe G

Applied microbiology and biotechnology2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9304-y PMID: 30120525

04

Traditional Norwegian Kveik Are a Genetically Distinct Group of Domesticated Saccharomyces cerevisiae Brewing Yeasts.

Preiss R, Tyrawa C, Krogerus K, Garshol LM, van der Merwe G

Frontiers in microbiology2018Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02137 PMID: 30258422

05

Protein kinase A is part of a mechanism that regulates nuclear reimport of the nuclear tRNA export receptors Los1p and Msn5p.

Pierce JB, van der Merwe G, Mangroo D

Eukaryotic cell2014

DOI: 10.1128/ec.00214-13 PMID: 24297441

06

Strategies for investigating nuclear-cytoplasmic tRNA dynamics in yeast and mammalian cells.

Pierce JB, Chafe SC, Eswara MB, van der Merwe G, Mangroo D

Methods in cell biology2014

DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-417160-2.00019-9 PMID: 24857741

07

Functional analyses of NSF1 in wine yeast using interconnected correlation clustering and molecular analyses.

Bessonov K, Walkey CJ, Shelp BJ, van Vuuren HJ, Chiu D, van der Merwe G

PloS one2013Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077192 PMID: 24130853

08

Regulation of Hxt3 and Hxt7 turnover converges on the Vid30 complex and requires inactivation of the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Snowdon C, van der Merwe G

PloS one2012Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050458 PMID: 23227176

09

ETP1/YHL010c is a novel gene needed for the adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ethanol.

Snowdon C, Schierholtz R, Poliszczuk P, Hughes S, van der Merwe G

FEMS yeast research2009Senior author

DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2009.00497.x PMID: 19416103

10

Nsf1/Ypl230w participates in transcriptional activation during non-fermentative growth and in response to salt stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Hlynialuk C, Schierholtz R, Vernooy A, van der Merwe G

Microbiology (Reading, England)2008Senior author

DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2008/019976-0 PMID: 18667581

Regulating regulators to survive nutrient limitation: Lessons from yeast

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: van der Merwe, George

Keywords: Cell survival; Molecular adaptation; Posttranslational modifications; Protein degradation; Transcriptional regulation; Yeast carbon metabolism; Yeast stress response

$192,000

Bioproducts analysis facilties

Co-investigatorNSERC2014Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Clarke, Anthony

$122,420

From Feast to Famine: Regulating carbon metabolism in yeast

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: vanderMerwe, George

$205,000

Carbohydrate Analysis Facility

Co-investigatorNSERC2013Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Clarke, Anthony

$62,200

Vid30c and its role in fermentation-related stress responses in saccharomyces cerevisiae

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: VanDerMerwe, George

$75,000

Adaptive response of saccharomyces cerevisiae to fermentation-related stresses

Principal investigatorNSERC2007Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: VanDerMerwe, George

$21,500

Nitrogen-related signalling in saccharomyces cerevisiae

Principal investigatorNSERC2003Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: VanDerMerwe, George

$118,800

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Eugene Fletcher

Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2019

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Cell survival Dear Professor van der Merwe, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "European farmhouse brewing yeasts form a distinct genetic group." (2024), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Regulating regulators to survive nutrient limitation: Lessons from yeast" (2019), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]