Who I am

I am associate professor in plant physiology with over 15 years’ experience in the proteomic field. During my PhD at the UMR INRA-UCBN 950 “Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie & nutritions N.C.S” of the Université de Caen Normandie (FR) dealing with the characterization of the dynamics of regrowth in Trifolium repens L. (white clover) in relation to morphogenesis and stored protein nitrogen, I performed the molecular and physiological characterisation of clover vegetative storage proteins (VSPs). A subsequent post-doc at the "Umeå Plant Science Centre" (SE) allowed me to undertake an in-depth study of the chloroplastic mechanisms involved in cold acclimation in Arabidopsis. I continued this topic on crop species (pea, alfalfa, maize) after being hired as an associate professor at the UMR INRA 1281 "Stress Abiotiques et Différenciation des Végétaux Cultivés" of the Université de Lille - Sciences et Technologies (FR). Since I joined the “Plant Fiber Team” (PFT), I am interested in the understanding of the impact of the environment on plant cell wall formation/degradation. I am currently member of the "Green Proteome" network (https://www6.inra.fr/proteome-vert/) and a CORE member of the "PhenomenALL" European COST action FA1306 (https://www.plant-phenotyping.org/home_costfa1306), co-leader of the working group 2 “phenotyping at the cellular level”. Consequently, I am part of a network of French and European plant scientists with expertise on phenotyping, various -omics areas and/or physiology. I also participate or have participated in a number of regional/national projects in relation to plant adaptation to sub-optimal environments such as cold and water stresses (PLANT-TEQ 3, NoStressWall, AMAIZING …).

My team/department

I am member of the “Plant Fiber Team” (PFT) from the Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), which is a mixed CNRS/University of Lille research laboratory composed of approximately 130 collaborators organized into 15 different research teams – including the PFT. The University of Lille 1 (http://www.univ-lille1.fr/) is one of the major French universities and is an important scientific pole with advanced research facilities in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. The PFT has previously used whole genome transcriptomics, proteomics and functional genomics to study cell wall formation in flax. The PFT was involved in the international consortium that sequenced the flax genome as part of the Canadian TUFGEN (Total Utilization of Flax genomics) project. Metabarcoding and metatranscriptomic approaches have also been successfully applied to flax retting in the PSPC future investment project SINFONI. We also participated to the European KBBE FIBRAGEN (French, German, Spanish and Canadian partners) project aimed at exploring natural variability in flax fiber quality via re-sequencing, systems biology, quantitative genetics and marker-based approaches, in the regional project MAPROFI looking at the impact of agricultural conditions (including water supply) on the production, structure and performance of hemp fibers in bio-based composites and until recently in the ANR NoStressWell project aiming to interpret drought adaptation strategies, molecular interaction, regulation networks, cell wall specific responses and adaptive dynamics in flax and Brachypodium. These projects have allowed a close contact with the private sector (breeders, farmers, textile and composite manufacturers) thereby contributing to a better understanding of those cell wall/fiber properties of relevance to industry.

Dernières actualités

School on Multivariate data analysis methods for biological data using the R pakage mixOmics, 2nd edition in Toulouse, 22-24 Nov. 2017

https://www.plant-phenotyping.org/home_of_mixOmics_school2017