Project description
Decoding dormant infections in strawberry
Plant pathogens are a major threat to agriculture, reducing crop yields and causing substantial post-harvest losses. Among them, fungal pathogens are especially damaging, as they may remain undetected for a long time. Understanding how pathogens transition from silent infection to active disease is key to protecting food production. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SCOPE-BERRY project focuses on Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that silently infects strawberries and destroys ripe fruit. Researchers will follow an interdisciplinary approach combining microscopy, molecular biology, and transcriptomics to map how the fungus and host interact at the single cell level. Project results will provide essential information on quiescent infections, paving the way towards novel disease prevention strategies.
Objective
Botrytis cinerea, a necrotrophic fungus that causes grey mold, poses a significant pre- and post-harvest threat to 1.2 million tonnes of strawberry produced annually in the EU. This pathogen can establish quiescent, asymptomatic infections in strawberry flowers and unripe fruit, which progress to symptomatic infections as the fruit ripens. Despite its importance, the biological and environmental factors that regulate the onset and termination of B. cinerea quiescence remain poorly understood.
In this study, I propose an interdisciplinary approach combining microscopy, molecular biology, and transcriptomics to unravel mechanisms driving quiescent infections and host susceptibility in the B. cinerea-strawberry pathosystem. First, I will use confocal fluorescence microscopy to track B. cinerea infection in strawberry flowers and fruit, visualizing the pathogen’s entry and transition from quiescence to necrotrophic disease. Building on these observations, I will apply single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing to profile the transcriptomes of both the pathogen and host at cellular resolution during key phases of infection. The resulting data will be integrated and analyzed using cutting-edge bioinformatic tools to explore cellular diversity in both organisms and identify the host's transcriptional responses during infection, providing new insights into the molecular pathways governing the complex B. cinerea-strawberry interaction.
This research pioneers the use of single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomics to study host-pathogen interactions, overcoming challenges in detecting and profiling invading pathogens at the single-cell level, and application to non-model plant species. It leverages my expertise in plant genetics, the host lab’s specialty in molecular interactions, and collaborators’ proficiency in single-cell technology and microscopy, creating a powerful professional network that will drive the success of the project and support my career growth.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture horticulture fruit growing
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3000 Leuven
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.