Dr. Janice de Almeida-Engler, a researcher at INRAE - France and an international collaborator of the INCT PlantStress Biotech, was elected as a corresponding member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences

Dr. Janice de Almeida-Engler, Director of Research at the Institut Sophia Agrobiotech (ISA) of INRAE-Sophie Antipolis, France, and a collaborating researcher at the INCT PlantStress Biotech, was elected as a corresponding member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) in the field of agricultural sciences. She was ellected on May 8, 2025, in RJ-Brazil. This honor recognizes her impactful scientific excellence and her innovative contributions to plant biotechnology, particularly through international collaborations with Brazil.

Her pioneering research investigates the ontogenesis of giant cells and the mechanisms of plant infection by phytoparasitic nematodes, including induced cellular lesions. She has elucidated, in an unprecedented manner, the cell cycle and cytoskeletal dynamics involved in giant gall formation, as well as revealing communication between nuclei of giant cells via nucleotubes—features reminiscent of tumor-like cellular processes.

With over 120 scientific publications and five patents, her work is crucial for advancing agricultural biotechnology. Her notable contributions include collaboration in developing plants resistant to phytonematodes through the overexpression of cell cycle inhibitors in galls and inhibiting nematode effectors by expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules, via RNAi technology. Her studies also identified specific gall promoters and expression modules in giant cells, currently undergoing validation for use in commodities such as tomato, soybean, and cotton, with a new intellectual property patent pending.

Currently, Dr. Janice is a scientific reference in the Microscopy Platform of the PlantBIOs infrastructure at INRAE. Her work on three plant biotechnology research projects, in collaboration with Brazilian institutions, has been crucial in validating molecules aimed at increasing biomass and enhancing resistance to phytopathogens in soybean and cotton. Her leadership has fostered closer ties between ISA and EMBRAPA, Brazil’s largest agricultural research institution, promoting high-impact synergies. Furthermore, new projects are underway, and there is ongoing development of an International Associated Laboratory (LIA) with the goal of expanding and consolidating these strategic collaborations based on scientific excellence.

The researcher’s nomination as a corresponding member of the ABC constitutes a formal and highly prestigious recognition of the scientist's excellence and scientific impact. This distinction highlights the relevance, innovation, and rigor of her research, while also fostering integration into international collaboration networks and advancing global scientific knowledge. Such a position elevates the researcher’s profile, strengthens academic cooperation networks, promotes knowledge exchange, and significantly contributes to scientific, technological, and innovative development.

Alongside Dr. Janice de Almeida Engler, present at the nomination ceremony of ABC members were Dr. Fatima Grossi, coordinator of the INCT PlantStress Biotech; researcher Adriana Hemerly from UFRJ; and Professor Antônio Costa de Oliveira, scientist leader of one of the INCT PlantStress Biotech’s Associated Laboratories and faculty at UFPEL-RS, who was also nominated on May 8th as a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.