Optimization of glucosinolate breakdown pathways in cabbage: Successful doctoral defense by Vanda Púčiková

27.01.2026

Vanda Púčiková (2nd from right) with the examination board (from left to right): Professor Sascha Rohn (TU Berlin), Professor Monika Schreiner (IGZ), Professor Franziska Hanschen (IGZ/TU Berlin) and Professor Hajo Haase (TU Berlin). Photo: private.

On January 14, 2026, Vanda Púčiková successfully defended her doctoral thesis at Technische Universität Berlin. Her cumulative dissertation was conducted under the supervision of Professor Dr Sascha Rohn (TU Berlin) and Professor Dr Franziska Hanschen at the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), within the Leibniz-Junior Research Group OPTIGLUP, “Optimization of glucosinolate degradation pathways” (since 2025 continued at TU Berlin as part of the Leibniz Professorship “Phytonutrient Management”).

In her dissertation entitled “Regulation of glucosinolate hydrolysis in Brassica vegetables: The roles of leaf ontogeny and seasonal abiotic factors in shaping nutritional quality”, Vanda Púčiková investigated the influence of leaf age as well as abiotic factors such as temperature and light on the enzymatic glucosinolate breakdown in Brassica vegetables. Through experiments with pak choi and leaf mustard, she demonstrated that young leaves are particularly rich in glucosinolates and form higher amounts of health-promoting isothiocyanates than older leaves. In addition, she provided evidence for a targeted transport of glucosinolates from older to younger leaves. These results were published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry”.

In a three-year field trial with cabbage, the biologist showed that the growing season strongly influences glucosinolate breakdown. While health-promoting isothiocyanates are predominantly formed during summer, autumn cultivation leads to the formation of nitriles and epithionitriles due to increased expression of epithiospecifier proteins. Cultivating summer cabbage could therefore significantly improve cabbage quality from a nutritional perspective. These findings were published in “Food Chemistry”.

In a subsequent experiment under controlled conditions, Vanda Púčiková demonstrated that light intensity, photoperiod and temperature are responsible for the observed seasonal effects and regulate the proteins involved in glucosinolate breakdown. The results relevant to the indoor cultivation of Brassica vegetables were recently published in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry”.

With her work, Vanda Púčiková has substantially advanced the understanding of the regulation of enzymatic glucosinolate breakdown. Due to their applicability, her research findings are highly relevant for crop production, plant breeding and nutritional science.

Since 2023, Vanda Púčiková has been conducting research within the “Plant-Microbe System” research group on the “SharpGreeens” project with the aim of determining the influence of vegetable cabbage diversity on human health. Also, in the context of this this project, the biologist is extremely involved in the field of science communication. Through a wide range of formats — from talks at “Soapbox Science” and discussions within “Book a Scientist” to interactive formats at the “Long Night of Sicences”—she brought her research closer to a broad audience.

We warmly congratulate Dr Vanda Púčiková on the successful completion of her doctorate.

Further information:

Temperature and light regimes shape seasonal variations in glucosinolate hydrolysis outcome in red cabbage.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c06284
Season-dependent variation in the contents of glucosinolates and S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide and their hydrolysis in Brassica oleracea.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142100
Glucosinolate accumulation and hydrolysis in leafy Brassica vegetables are depending on leaf age.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c01997