Upcoming thesis defences at LAE

Upcoming thesis defences at LAE

Habilitation to Supervise Research (HDR), focusing on the genetic, molecular, and physiological determinants involved in iron nutrition in plants,
June 18, 2026. Room 15 of ENSAIA, starting at 1:30 PM.

 

Title of the presentation:
Coumarins: Specialized Plant Metabolites Involved in Plant-Environment Interactions Related to Iron Nutrition

Specialized plant metabolites represent an extremely diverse range of molecules that play an essential role in plant adaptation to their environment. Their biological functions are central to many scientific, societal, and agronomic challenges.

Alexandre Olry’s work will focus specifically on coumarins, compounds involved in the mobilization and absorption of iron by plants. Iron is indispensable for plant function, but its low bioavailability in soils—particularly calcareous ones—poses a major constraint on the growth and productivity of cultivated plants.

His research project will revolve around two complementary axes:

  • A biochemical and enzymological axis dedicated to characterizing the biosynthetic pathways of coumarins in Arabidopsis thaliana;
  • A physiological axis aimed at better understanding the role of these metabolites in iron nutrition across various agronomically important plant species.

 

 

 

PhD Defence by Guillaume Bodjrenou

Le 06/05/2026

Targeted selection of shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) rich in fatty acids and unsaponifiable matter for the chocolate and cosmetic industries in Benin

summary

The shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertner) is a key agroforestry species in sub-Saharan Africa, providing edible oil, cosmetic ingredients and income to millions of rural households. Despite its high socio-economic importance, shea remains a semi-domesticated species, and its genetic improvement has been limited by its long juvenile phase, complex reproductive biology and the predominance of in situ management systems.

Improving the productivity and quality of shea therefore requires a better understanding of the genetic, biochemical and metabolomic diversity underlying traits of industrial interest, as well as the development of breeding strategies suited to perennial agroforestry species. The overall aim of this thesis was to characterise this diversity and explore integrative approaches to support the future improvement and sustainable development of shea.