VAST - CNRS School of Science: Plant Genome Advances for a Sustainable Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change

01/12/2024

From October 21-25, 2024, VAST has collaborated with CNRS to organize the VAST– CNRS School of Science with the theme "Advances of the plant genome for a sustainable agriculture in the context of climate change" for scientists to exchange, update, share expertise and establish cooperative relationships in research fields related to plant science, to improving plant varieties and developing sustainable agriculture. The school has brought together lecturers, doctoral students and scientists from the Montpellier Institute of Plant Sciences, Compiègne University of Technology, Paris-Saclay Institute of Plant Sciences, Aix-Marseille Institute of Biotechnology of CNRS France together with the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT), University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), Institute for Genome Research (IGR) and a number of other units under VAST. The event was also attended by representatives of Croplife Asia.

Delegates taking photo at the event

In his opening remarks, Professor Chu Hoang Ha, Vice President of VAST, highly appreciated the long-standing cooperative relationship between VAST and CNRS over the years. Specifically, the school of science (DoSon Summer school) is an academic exchange activity between Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the French National Research Center from 1995-2013 to promote the exchange of knowledge and skills between young Vietnamese and international researchers. This is the basis for VAST and CNRS to implement many joint research projects and topics, build international collaborative laboratories to create opportunities to access a professional research environment for young scientists in Vietnam. This activity has contributed greatly to shaping and developing a number of modern research directions in our country such as chemistry, environmental technology, materials science and , life science. The relaunch of the 2023 Science Summer School on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of cooperation between VAST and CNRS with the theme "Chemistry in the production of H2 and Li-ion batteries" once again promoted the interaction between lecturers and participants. Since then, an effective cooperation group has been formed as evidenced by the joint project between USTH and CEA Grenoble which was funded by CNRS in 2024.

This year, the topic of plant science will open up great opportunities for scientists to share their expertise and research experience to improve adaptability, enhance resistance, and improve crop yield and nutritional value.

Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha, vice President of VAST, delivering the opening speech

The School of Science 2024 includes many in-depth lectures from leading experts and scientists in Vietnam and France in the following research fields: Interaction between plants and microorganisms in the mechanism of stimulating growth and enhancing plant resistance; develop and apply molecular techniques (GWAS, genome sequencing) in the detection and study of gene function in plants; developing and applying gene technology, gene editing in basic research and improvement of plant varieties; to understand the process of photosynthesis and the factors that affect the efficiency of this process; pathways that transmit signals about sugars and hormones in plants; mechanisms of nutrient absorption, resistance to the environment and adverse external circumstances in plants. At the Conference, PhD students and postdoctoral students presented presentations sharing about the updated research results in the thesis as well as the research directions being pursued related to new technologies in the field of plant science. In addition to scientific reports, lecturers and students exchanged and discussed together to find and establish new collaborations to share, improve the level and effectiveness of scientific research of the two sides. VAST and CNRS hope that the 2024 science school will provide opportunities for research teams from both sides to connect and establish a new cooperative relationship in the coming time to promote sustainable agricultural development in the face of the challenge of global climate change.

The relaunch and implementation of the VAST-CNRS science school in the past two years is expected to continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of scientific connection and cooperation between young experts and scientists of the two sides, contributing to promoting and deepening the cooperation between the two national research units of Vietnam and France.

Dr. Le Quynh Lien, Director of the International Cooperation Department, introduced the formation and development and some achievements in the VAST-CNRS cooperation

Dr. Cécile Bousquet-Antonelli introduces the CNRS and opportunities for collaboration between VAST and CNRS scientists

Dr. Doan Trung Luu from CNRS presented some orientations for cooperation between the two sides in the field of plant science in the future

Dr. Do Tien Phat from VAST introduced research directions in the field of plant science and achievements at VAST

Presenter discussed with participants at the event

Participants listened to the presentations at the event

Scientists and members taking photo at the event

Young PhD students and scientists receive certificates from the Organizing Committee

Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version

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