Research
Root Cell Atlas
By using cutting-edge single-cell data analytics solutions, we are revealing which of the 27000 protein-coding genes are switched on in an individual root cell, creating a unique profile for each gene in a virtual root at a spatial resolution. This enables plant researchers worldwide to visualize the expression patterns of any gene of interest and learn how much they differ among different root cell types or subtypes, which is key to understanding how different types of root cells are wired at the level of gene expression.
Root Regeneration
With the development of advanced molecular-genetic and computational technologies it becomes possible to tackle individual cells within a regenerating tissue, to define morphogenetic and cellular changes in space and time by live imaging, to acquire transcriptome status with single-cell RNA sequencing (ScRNA-seq), and to delineate the candidate mechanisms by iterative computational and experimental approaches.
Reproductive heat tolerance
Seeds and fruits constitute the major part of the human diet. However, our capacity to generate sufficient crop yield is increasingly compromised by climate change. One of the reasons for this is that pollen development is among the most heat-sensitive processes in plants. Because hot days and heat waves are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity in the coming decades, in order to maintain global food security, it is crucial that we understand the mechanisms and processes underlying heat tolerance of plants.