Dr Myriam Charpentier awarded Adam Kondorosi prize
Dr Myriam Charpentier has received a prestigious international award from the Academia Europaea for her groundbreaking research into plant-microbe interactions.
Dr Charpentier, a group leader at the John Innes Centre, received the Adam Kondorosi young investigator award for her research into plant calcium signalling pathways allowing root endosymbioses.
“I’m deeply honoured to have received this prestigious award,” said Dr Charpentier. “It recognises my team’s dedication, support from collaborators, and the importance of our discoveries over the years and their potential towards more sustainable farming.”
The Charpentier group investigates how plant cells integrate environmental signals through calcium signalling pathways.
A series of discoveries by the group has contributed to our understanding of how calcium release within the cell nucleus contributes to root development and in allowing plants to form root endosymbiosis – a symbiotic partnership in which nitrogen-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, live inside plant root cells, helping the plant access nutrients while benefiting themselves.
Most recently, the group has discovered a biological mechanism that makes plant roots more welcoming to beneficial soil microbes.
The discovery which appeared in Nature could lead to more environmentally friendly farming practices by allowing farmers to use less fertiliser.
The Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Award for Early-Career Investigators recognises researchers who have made outstanding scientific contributions in the fields of nitrogen fixation, plant biology and microbiology related to symbiosis. It was established in the honour of the late Adam Kondorosi, a pioneer in plant-microbe interactions.
The Academia Europaea has previously recognised the role of the John Innes Centre in this field of research, with Adam Kondorosi Awards for Advance Research being given to Professor Ray Dixon (2019) and Professor Allan Downie (2017).
