Dr. N. (Nora) Gigli Bisceglia

Hugo R. Kruytgebouw
Padualaan 8
Kamer O.204
3584 CH Utrecht

Dr. N. (Nora) Gigli Bisceglia

Assistant Professor
Plant Stress Resilience
n.giglibisceglia@uu.nl
Projects
Project
Unlocking Plant Resilience: Using Small Signalling Peptides to Increase Salinity Tolerance in Plants (PeptOS) 01.12.2025
General project description

Soil salinity, intensified by global warming, threatens plant survival and crop yields. Understanding how plants respond to salt is vital for enhancing their tolerance. My recent discovery reveals that salt alters cell wall (CW) composition and structure. By inhibiting these disruptions, we can reduce salt stress. Interestingly salt-induced CW-changes trigger the transcription of small plant peptides that, when applied externally, can suppress salt-induced stress. However, their release and regulatory roles remain unknown. Using molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches, our goal is to unravel these mechanisms, revealing critical insights into plant stress signaling and paving the way for agricultural solutions.

Role
Project Leader
Funding
NWO grant
Project
May the FER Be With Roots: Defining the molecular mechanism of how roots respond to mechanical stress.
General project description

Plant cells are enclosed by a carbohydrate-rich cell wall that provides structural integrity and mediates interactions with the environment. How mechanical signals are sensed and integrated during growth remains largely unknown. Loss of the cell wall-associated receptor FERONIA (FER) causes hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation. To investigate this mechanism, we will combine high-resolution live root imaging with microspheres-based mechanical stimulation followed by (phospho)proteomic profiling. In parallel, we will screen for and genetically characterize suppressors of the hypersensitive response of fer mutants under mechanical stress. These approaches will help define FERONIA’s upstream and downstream regulators and uncover key mechanosensory pathways.

Role
Project Leader
Funding
NWO grant