Lecture: Prof. Dr. Kristina Gruden: Unraveling the mechanisms of plant immune signaling
Lecturer:Prof. Dr. Kristina Gruden, last year's winner of the Pregl Award for outstanding achievements (Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology)
When & Where:Friday, June 10, 2022 at 1.00 p.m., Great Lecture Hall (1st floor)
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Abstract:
Immune system is in plants organised on the level of each cell, unlike the one functioning in the animals. Infection of a plant by a pathogen triggers complex signalling network in infected cells as well as intensive cell-to-cell communication. A systems biology approach was adopted to understand the mechanisms of spatial dynamics involved in potato plant immune signaling.
Our experimental system is potato and its two of the most economically damaging pests, the colorado potato beetle and virus PVY. A qualitative model of potato plant immune signalling network was constructed describing the biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways, by extracting dispersed knowledge in literature and knowlege bases. We also collected multi-layered omics datasets with spatiotemporal resolution describing the responses of the plant in interaction with pests and used them in modeling experiments. Using qualitative modeling we generated novel hypotheses on properties of plant immune signaling that were validated in the lab.
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The introductory word in the lecture will be given by prof. dr. Nataša Zabukovec Logar, Vice President of the Scientific Council of the National Institute of Chemistry.
The lecture will be held in English.