This award, which recognizes the first major work of a promising early-career researcher, has been granted to Heidi (co-leader of the reclab team) for her research on the genetics of hybrid plants.

Heïdi  explores the secrets of meiosis in hybrid plants much like one untangles the threads of an unstable genetic weave. A specialist in genetic recombination, she deciphers the DNA exchanges between chromosomes in polyploid plants , species that carry multiple subgenomes inherited from parents of different species. Using Arabidopsis suecica as a model, she investigates the mechanisms that limit DNA exchanges between related chromosomes and ensure genome stability. Her research focuses on how these plants, over generations, manage to stabilize meiosis and restore fertility despite initial disruptions.
This long-term work holds promise for advancing our understanding and improvement of hybrid seed stabilization ,seeds with innovative traits.

It’s precision genetics, in service of a more resilient agriculture.