About us

Lieven De Veylder leads the Cell Cycle Group. Correct regulation of the cell cycle is of crucial importance during the development of all multi-cellular organisms. Although for all organisms it is the goal to divide only if the DNA has been replicated correctly and without damage, years of research have revealed many differences between the ways animals and plants control their cell cycle. The group aims to understand how cell-cycle control genes drive plant cell proliferation, and to elucidate how cell division control interacts with different aspects of plant development, such as morphogenesis, architecture and growth, both under control and stress conditions. Identifying the underlying mechanisms that control cell division might open opportunities to adjust plant size, yield, and architecture.