Photos of Rishikesh Bhalerao (top left), Stéphanie Robert (top middle), Åsa Strand (top right), Hannele Tuominen (bottom left) and Stéphane Verger (bottom right) whos project proposals were granted by the Swedish Research Council in 2020.
On Thursday last week, the Swedish Research Council announced which project proposals in the field of natural and engineering sciences receive financial support in 2020. Five projects from UPSC were approved. Stéphane Verger receives a starting grant and Rishikesh Bhalerao, Stéphanie Robert, Åsa Strand and Hannele Tuominen project grants.
The topics of the five projects from UPSC deal with seasonal growth, cell shape, cell internal communication, lignin biosynthesis and cell-to-cell adhesion. The focus is for all on the molecular level but using different plant model organisms and applying a wide range of different methods. In total, the Swedish Research Council approved this year 324 of 1668 applications in the field of natural and engineering sciences including research project grants and starting grants.
More information about the individual approved projects:
Project: Unravelling the genetic network mediating temperature control of dormancy release and bud break in hybrid aspen
Bud break in perennial trees starts in spring after trees have been exposed to extended period of cold temperatures that release dormancy, followed by a period of increasing temperatures that signal spring onset. The exact timing of bud break is very crucial for the trees to prevent damage to young leaves and meristems enclosed in the buds from sudden late frosts. Rishikesh Bhalerao is researching on how temperature regulates the release of the dormant state to allow bud break in spring. In the approved project, he plans to identify the genetic framework that controls these temperature-mediated processes in the model tree hybrid aspen.
Contact:
Rishikesh Bhalerao
Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Email:
https://www.upsc.se/rishikesh_bhalerao
Project: Molecular mechanisms regulating shape acquisition in plants
How does a cell receive its final shape? Stéphanie Robert wants to answer this question focusing on leaf epidermal pavement cells. These cells form the outer layer of the leaf and have a very specific jigsaw puzzle shape. The mechanical and chemical properties of the cell wall but also cell internal factors like the plant growth regulator auxin determine the final shape of a cell. In her project, Stéphanie Robert aims at finding new molecular players involved in the development of cell shape and at looking deeper into the interactions between the different factors involved in this development.
Contact:
Stéphanie Robert
Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Email:
http://www.upsc.se/stephanie_robert
Project: Establishment of Photosynthesis, a Tale of Two Genomes
Åsa Strand focusses in her project on cell internal communication, specifically on the communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus. The chloroplast is the place were photosynthesis is conducted. Some of the genetic information that is needed for chloroplast development is stored in the nucleus. That is why a synchronised exchange of information between the chloroplast and the nucleus is indispensable for proper chloroplast development. Åsa Strand wants to understand in more detail how this communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus is regulated.
Contact:
Åsa Strand
Department of Plant Physiology
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Umeå University
Email:
http://www.upsc.se/asa_strand
Project: Cell-type specific lignification in plant vasculature
Lignin is used by plants to increase stability and provide a water repellent surface in the water transporting system. However, for industrial applications, it often reduces the accessibility of the favoured cellulose. Hannele Tuominen aims on identifying the molecular mechanisms behind lignin biosynthesis and on characterising lignin composition in different cell types. To understand how and why cell-type specific lignification is established might help to improve the properties of lignocellulosic raw material for bioprocessing.
Contact:
Hannele Tuominen
Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Email:
http://www.upsc.se/hannele_tuominen
Project: Mechanics and dynamics of cell-to-cell adhesion in plants
Stéphane Verger focusses in his research on how neighbouring cells in a tissue interact and attach to each other, a dynamic process called cell adhesion. To maintain cell adhesion despite changes in the surrounding is very important to keep a tissue functioning and Stéphane Verger wants to reveal the dynamic mechanisms that are involved in this process. He plans to apply genetical, pharmaceutical but also mechanical and microscopic approaches to understand how cell adhesion is maintained in plants.
Contact:
Stéphane Verger
Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Umeå Plant Science Centre
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Email:
http://www.upsc.se/stephane_verger