The Olas group seeks to understand how plants adapt their development in a fluctuating environment. We aim to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the developmental adaptations of plants to recurring stresses, with a focus on the shoot apical meristem (SAM). We work with the model system Arabidopsis thaliana as well as key horticultural plants such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

The SAM is responsible for plant growth above ground, and allows plants to adapt their development to a changing environment. It is therefore essential to elucidate how stress information is sensed and integrated into the SAM response. By applying a combination of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, physiology, and bioinformatics the group studies the signaling pathways that are necessary for meristem survival and recovery during stress.