This project is led by the PhD candidate Nienke van der Wal. She investigates molecular mechanisms of growth-immunity trade-offs in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. She aims to uncover regulatory factors and protein-protein interaction networks regulating plant growth during and after an immune response and model how protein complexes and transcriptome dynamics influence growth. The project is a part of CropXR, an institute in the Netherlands dedicated to developing resilient crops through innovative breeding strategies. Together with collaborators from Delft TU, WUR, and NPEC, we combine cutting-edge technologies – such as phenomics, transcriptomics, proximity labeling proteomics, AI, and computational modeling – to generate new insights for the development of disease-resistant crops with sustained growth.
Project-associated gallery
Defense and Recovery of Plants 