Thomas Blein

Thomas Blein

CNRS research scientist

Institute of Plant Science Paris-Saclay

Biography

My research project aims to study the role played by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the adaptation of the root of plants to the environment, via multiscale quantitative approaches. As a plant molecular biologist, I am interested in the regulation of genes expression by these lncRNAs, that will impact root system architecture (RSA).

Over the past decades, advances in RNA sequencing methods (RNA-Seq) have revealed that a large proportion of eukaryotic genomes are transcribed outside the coding regions. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to play an emerging role in the regulation of gene expression and could be then good candidates for the fine control of the adaptation to the environment.

Learn more about my research by browsing the projects I am involved in.

Interests
  • long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)
  • root growth
  • quantitative regulations
Education
  • PhD in Plant Science, 2008

    Université Paris-Sud, France

  • Master of Science, specialization in Plant Science, 2005

    Université Paris-Sud, France

  • Agronomic ‘Engineer’ degree, 2005

    INA P-G (today AgroParisTech), France

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
CNRS research scientist — group of Dr. Martin Crespi
Oct 2014 – Present Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Quantitative control of root architecture by non-coding RNAs.

Study of the role of long non-coding RNAs using multi-scale approaches (from the scale of the gene to the organ). In particular their role in the regulation of gene expression and their influence on the architecture of the root system.

 
 
 
 
 
Postdoctoral Fellow (ANR) — group of Dr. Martin Crespi
Institut des Sciences du Végétal (ISV)
Feb 2014 – Sep 2014 CNRS campus, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Role of non-coding RNAs in adaptation to the environment.

Study of the importance of non-coding RNAs in the adaptation of Arabidopsis accessions to phosphate deficiency: sequence conservation, expression variation and control of root architecture.

 
 
 
 
 
Postdoctoral Fellow (ANR) — group of Dr. Patrick Laufs
Nov 2012 – Dec 2013 INRA Versailles, France

The growth of Arabidopsis leaf at the cellular level.

Reconstruction of a 3D model of leaf primordia at the cellular scale to identify cellular characteristics associated with tooth formation.

 
 
 
 
 
Postdoctoral Fellow (EMBO) — group of Pr. Dr. Klaus Palme
Institut für Biologie II - Botanik
Jan 2009 – Oct 2012 Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany

Modeling the growth of Arabidopsis root

Reconstruction of a 3D model of the root at the cellular level from confocal images. Characterization at the cellular level of the influence of light on root growth.

 
 
 
 
 
Ph.D. student — supervised by Dr Patrick Laufs
Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire
Jan 2006 – Dec 2008 INRA Versailles, France

The role of NAM / CUC genes in leaf development

Determination of the expression of NAM / CUC genes in different compound leaf species by in situ hybridization. Functional analysis of the role of these genes via mutants, transformants and silenced plants by VIGS. Characterization of the genetic interactions between the CUC2 / miR164A genes and other factors involved in Arabidopsis thaliana leaf serration.