Thursday, November 18, 2021
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Auditorium 0215 between Buildings 2 & 3 and Zoom
Abstract
The talk will focus on three main research area that are taking place in the plant cell and developmental biology laboratory (PCDB).
Fundamental research or curiosity driven research: understanding basic mechanisms of asymmetric cell division and cell fate determination in Arabidopsis root meristem is important for root growth. The importance of regulation of protein movement for tissue boundaries delimitation in plants will be highlighted and how cell type transcription factor association control cell fate determination will be discussed.
Fundamental research with a potential for translational applications: Research in the lab unveiled that the stem cell developmental regulators have a function in modulating plant defense response against pathogens and how this is being currently used to generate resistant crops.Research relevant to the kingdom: One of the research pillars of the PCDB laboratory is to understand developmental adaptations to desert environment with a particular focus on date palm. The lab is also collaborating with the CDA in the center funded project “fast fit palm” to establish foundations of date palm research at KAUST and in the kingdom.
About the speaker
Dr Ikram Blilou is an associate professor leading the PCDB within the division of Biological Environmental Science and Engineering.
Her Ph.D. studies, at the University of Granada in Spain, focused on molecular mechanisms in plant defense during early responses to symbiotic mycorrhiza. After graduating in 1998, she moved to the Netherlands for postdoctoral research at Utrecht University, where she studied cell-cycle regulation and polar auxin transport. After completing her postdoctoral work, she was appointed assistant professor within the department of Molecular Genetics at Utrecht University in 2003, where she established a line of research focusing on mechanisms regulating protein movement in plant roots. In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious VIDI and Aspasia grant and was promoted to the rank of associate professor. In 2012, she moved along with her department to Wageningen University where she continues studying root development. In 2017, she moved to KAUST where she is currently leading several research projects including desert adaptations focusing on date palm and other desert species. Her work has been published in influential journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell.
