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ERC-grant for research on plant cytoplasmic inheritance
The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded a research grant to researcher Kin Pan Chung. He receives the ERC Starting Grant for his research on the inheritance of cytoplasmic genomes. Chung transferred to Wageningen University & Research in early September: ‘Wageningen is one of the best places in the world to do plant research.’
Cytoplasmic genomes are small pieces of DNA that reside in organelles outside the cell nucleus, such as mitochondria and plastids. In most plants, these organelles and their DNA are passed on exclusively through the mother to the offspring. This means that the father’s organelles and their genetic material typically do not contribute to the inheritance. By understanding how cytoplasmic genomes are transmitted to the progeny, Chung hopes to develop techniques to cultivate crops with improved traits.
‘Although the existence of cytoplasmic inheritance has been known for decades, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. I am motivated to solve this age-old puzzle and push the boundaries of our knowledge in this field,’ says Chung, who grew up in Hong Kong and developed this research line in Germany over the last years.
Continuing his research in Wageningen is no coincidence: ‘There is a vibrant community of plant scientists here with a wide range of expertise, including genetics, molecular biology, physiology, and crop breeding. This offers ample opportunities for new and groundbreaking research,’ says Chung. He started as a tenure-track assistant professor at the Laboratory of Plant Physiology at Wageningen University & Research.