Aline V. Probst

Aline V. Probst is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Genetics, Reproduction and Development (iGReD) under CNRS Délégation Rhône-Auvergne, affiliated with Université Clermont Auvergne (uca.fr). She has held this position since October 1, 2008, leading research in plant epigenetics and chromatin biology.

Her research focuses on:

• Chromatin organization and nuclear architecture in plants
• Histone variants and histone chaperones
• Epigenetic regulation of plant development
• 3D genome organization
• Responses to environmental stresses

Dr. Probst's recent work has revealed important mechanisms of chromatin dynamics during seed germination, plant development, and stress responses. Her lab has developed innovative imaging tools like NucleusJ and Biom3d for analyzing nuclear organization in 3D. Analysis of her publication record shows consistent high-impact research spanning from 2010 to the present, with numerous articles in top journals including Nature Communications, The Plant Cell, and Genome Research. Her work demonstrates an evolution from fundamental chromatin studies toward understanding dynamic reprogramming during developmental transitions and stress responses.

Scientific contributions:

• Elucidated roles of histone chaperones ASF1 and HIRA in maintaining genome stability
• Discovered how histone H1 protects telomeric regions from inappropriate silencing
• Revealed connections between heat stress response and 3D chromatin reorganization
• Developed computational tools for nuclear architecture analysis
• Advanced understanding of Polycomb-mediated gene regulation in plants

Dr. Probst actively supervises students and postdocs, contributing to the training of the next generation of plant scientists. Her lab maintains an international profile through collaborations across Europe. As a Principal Investigator at CNRS, she secures competitive funding to support her research program focused on fundamental mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in plants, with potential applications for understanding plant adaptation and development.

Her laboratory, focused on 'Chromatin and 3D Nuclear Dynamics,' integrates molecular genetics, advanced imaging, and computational approaches to understand how chromatin organization influences plant development and adaptation, positioning her at the forefront of plant epigenetics research.