Background

I completed my master’s degree in Agronomy and Seed Science at Yunnan University (China) in 2025, with a project regarding identification and fuctional analysis of regulatory genes involved in Gerbera flower color distribution. At the same year, I joined the Holticell Lab at Ghent University to pursue a Ph.D. in Bioscience Engineering.

Research

Haploid induction is an effective strategy to significantly shorten breeding cycles, and in vitro microspore embryogenesis represents a key approach for generating haploid embryos. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying microspore embryogenesis, particularly the identification and functional characterization of key regulatory genes and transcription factors, has become an important focus in plant developmental biology and molecular breeding.

Accumulating evidence indicates that the reprogramming of microspores from the gametophytic to the embryogenic pathway involves extensive transcriptional and epigenetic reorganization. Several master regulators, including transcription factors such as BABY BOOM (BBM), LEAFY COTYLEDON (LEC1 and LEC2), WUSCHEL (WUS), and members of the AGAMOUS-LIKE (AGL) family, play critical roles in this developmental transition. In addition, hormone signaling pathways, particularly auxin and cytokinin, as well as stress-responsive mechanisms, are deeply involved in initiating and sustaining embryogenic competence.

With the rapid advancement of multi-omics technologies, including transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility profiling, and protein interaction analyses, it is now possible to systematically identify novel regulators and dissect their regulatory networks. These efforts not only enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of microspore embryogenesis but also provide valuable targets for improving haploid induction efficiency and accelerating crop breeding programs.