Research Subjects
Research at the Department of Plant Biology is focused around six official research subjects.
Molecular Plant Cell Biology
In this subject area, we study how plants adapt to their environment by uncovering the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms regulating gene expression in time and space. Our research combines advanced cell biology, biochemical, genetic, and genomic approaches.
Research groups
- Markus Schmid, Subject Representative: Regulation of Plant Growth & Development by the Environment
- Stefanie Rosa
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Plants are surrounded and frequently challenged by a multitude of microbes that influence plant health and fitness. Pathogens can cause major diseases and yield losses while beneficial microbes can improve plant growth and boost immune responses. In this research area, we aim at uncovering the molecular and genetic mechanisms as well as the cellular processes that govern the interactions between plants and microbes. By combining advanced genetic, biochemical and cell biological approaches with multi-omics techniques, we study key aspects of the plant immune system and identify microbial strategies for host colonization. Our ultimate goal is to leverage fundamental knowledge to improve plant resilience and disease resistance and enhance agricultural sustainability in a changing climate.
Research groups
- Daniel Hofius, Subject Representative: Autophagy and Cell Death in Plant-Microbe Interactions
- Anders Hafrén
Plant Genetics
We investigate how genomes shape plant diversity, mediate function, and drive evolutionary change. Our groups work across diverse levels: genome, epigenome, ploidy, population, and mating system. By combining genomics with functional and mechanistic approaches, we gain insight into the origins and maintenance of variation. This knowledge advances both our understanding of fundamental biology and the development of new opportunities for crop and trait improvement.
Research groups
- Levi Yant, Subject Representative: Plant Genome Dynamics and Evolution
- Germán Martinez Arias
- Adrien Sicard
Plant Genomics and Breeding
Advances in genomics have revolutionised our ability to study plant diversity, adaptation, and trait architecture at the molecular level and thereby provide powerful tools to accelerate modern plant breeding programs. By integrating genomic information with traditional and modern breeding approaches, our research is aimed at identifying genes underlying key agronomic traits, improving crop resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses, and enhancing yield, quality, and sustainability. This area bridges the gap between fundamental and applied plant biology and breeding, aiming to develop improved plant varieties that address challenges such as food security and climate change.
Research groups
- Pär Ingvarsson, Subject Representative
- Salim Bourras: Plant Immunity and Plant-Microbe-Microbiome Interactions
- Derek Lundberg: Genes, context, and climate in plant-bacteria interactions
- Anna Westerbergh
Plant Physiology
How plants grow and develop is critical for sustainable food production, coping with changing climate, and understanding the natural environment. By integrating modern techniques in plant physiology such as advanced imaging and transcriptomic analyses, our research aims to understand the physiological processes controlling plant growth and understanding plant interactions with their surrounding environments. This research area provides fundamental knowledge of developmental biology, metabolism, symbioses, plant evolution and adaptations to biotic and abiotic stresses, with the goal of improving agriculture and forestry.
Research groups
- Charles Melnyk, Subject Representative: Plant grafting and parasitic plants
- Per-Olof Lundquist
- Alyona Minina
- Folke Sitborn
- Jens Sundström
- Mattias Thelander: Evolution of developmental control in plants
Plant Virology
Virus infections are common in plants and may cause extensive damage on crops. Our research in plant virology attempts to reveal the diversity of selected plant viruses, understand the mechanisms leading to this diversity and how plant viruses are transmitted. We also study the molecular mechanisms for virus infections of plants and how the plants defend themselves. An important aim with our research is to generate knowledge, which can be used for virus management.
Research groups
- Anders Kvarnheden, Subject Representative: Molecular epidemiology of plant viruses
- Eugene Savenkov
Professor emeriti
- Christina Dixelius
- Johan Meijer
- Eva Sundberg
- Sara von Arnold
- Gösta Eriksson