I am an Assistant Professor in the Plant Stress Resilience group at Utrecht University, where I lead a research team investigating how plants sense and respond to cell wall modifications under abiotic stress.

The plant cell wall is one of the most complex and fascinating biological structures. Its tensile strength enables the build-up of turgor pressure, providing the mechanical rigidity essential for plant life. During development, the wall is dynamically remodeled to permit elongation and expansion. However, abiotic stresses can also alter the cell wall’s structure and composition, triggering signaling responses that result from the perception of these changes as a form of altered self.

My lab  aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that initiate cell wall modifications and to dissect both the sensing mechanisms and downstream signaling pathways activated in response to cell wall damage or alteration.

Recently, we discovered that salinity stress responses can be mitigated by inhibiting specific cell wall enzymes involved in pectin modification, highlighting a potential strategy for enhancing stress tolerance.

This example highlights how important cell wall modification and perception are in triggering plant responses to salt stress. By changing the activity of enzymes that affect cell wall stiffness and elasticity, we can explore new ways to help plants survive in high-salinity conditions.

In the coming years, I want to expand this work to other types of stress to understand how they impact the cell wall and activate cell wall-dependent responses inside the plant. Gaining more insight into these processes is key to developing plants that can better tolerate extreme environments, which is becoming increasingly important as the climate changes.