Villum Investigator 2019

In this program, we aim to understand how plants make secondary cell walls, which largely make up the biomass of plants. Secondary walls mainly consist of polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds called lignin, and critically contribute to plant stature and the water transporting capacity of plants. The latter is mediated via the plant vasculature, more precisely xylem vessels, which have patterned secondary walls to sustain the transport of water. We are using a range of tools to further our knowledge regarding how the secondary wall synthesis is regulated, if we can change the composition of these walls and how the xylem-associated cell wall patterns are regulated. By controlling these processes we may be able to custom-make secondary walls with potential to change plant growth and plant biomass characteristics with outcomes relevant for agriculture, biomaterials and the green transition.