Research

Research Priorities: Plant-bacteria-symbiosis (rhizobia-legume symbiosis), differentiation of plant cells, cell cycles, resistance mechanisms

Eva Kondorosi is a Hungarian microbiologist. She studies the differentiation of plant cells, cell cycles, and mechanisms of resistance. Furthermore, her research contributes vitally to a deeper understanding of plant-bacteria symbiosis.

Eva Kondorosi investigates the later as exemplified by the relationship between Rhizobia and legumes. Certain types of legumes develop root nodules under the presence of certain soil bacteria, called Rhizobia. These nodules promote the growth of microorganisms. Furthermore, Rhizobia can filter nitrogen from the air and to provide it as a nutrient to the plant. Through this symbiotic relationship, the plants also influence the rhizobia. The bacteria grow into polyploid, nitrogen-fixing bacteroids with an altered membrane in the radicular nodules. Thus, they develop into a specifically symbiotic form. This process of differentiation is controlled by the exchange of chemical signals between the two partners. Of special importance are cysteine-rich peptides that carry the signals in the nodules. Eva Kondorosi discovered both the plant-controlled alteration process of rhyzobia, as well as a variety of peptides. In this way, she considerably advanced the understanding of the interactions between legumes and rhizobia.

In Addition to her main research area, Eva Kondorosi significantly contributed to the study of the plant cell cycle as well as to developmental biology. While they are contributions to fundamental research, they also enable new approaches in applied research. An understanding of the rhizobia’s nitrogen fixation is crucial for questions of food security and for a reduced use of artificial fertilizers, which are harmful to the climate. Furthermore, many of the thus discovered peptides show an antibacterial efficacy. This opens new possibilities for the development novel antibiotics that could prove effective against currently resistant bacteria.

Career

• since 2012 Research Professor, Symbiosis and Functional Genomics Unit, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Hungary
• 2007-2012 Founding Director, BAYGEN Institute, Biological Research Centre, MTA, Szeged, Hungary
• 2000-2013 Research Director, Plant Science Institute (Institut des Sciences du Végétal), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Gif-sur-Yvette, France  
• 1996 Habilitation, MTA, Hungary
• 1989-2013 Group Leader, Plant Science Institute (Institut des Sciences du Végétal), CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
• 1987-1989 Project Leader, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
• 1978-1987 Associate, Institute for Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, MTA, Szeged, Hungary
• Studies in Biology, Loránd-Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary

Funktionen

• 2019 Member, Academic Advisory Board, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
• 2019 Member, International Committee, Polish Excellence Initiative, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland
• 2018 Member, Jury “Award in Biomedicine”, BIAL Foundation, Coronado, Portugal
• 2018 Member, Strategic Advisory Committee, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
• 2017-2019 Vice President, European Research Council (ERC)
• since 2015 Member, Board of Directors, Academia Europaea
• since 2013 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, ERC
• since 2013 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Secretary General, United Nations (UN)
• 2010-2012 Member, Long Term Fellowship Committee, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
• since 2008 Member, Board of Directors, International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (ISMPMI)

Projects

• 2011-2016 Coordinator, Advanced Grant “SymBiotics”, ERC

Auszeichnungen und Mitgliedschaften

• 2022 Best Molecular Biology Scientists, Research.com
• 2021 Prima Primissima Award, Category of Hungarian science, Prima Primissima Foundation (Prima Primissima Alapítvány), Budapest, Hungary
• 2018 Balzan Prize for Chemical Ecology, International Balzan Foundation, Milan, Italy
• 2017 Member, European Academy of Microbiology
• 2016 Main Award, Szeged Foundation (Szegedért Alapítvány), Szeged, Hungary
• since 2016 Member, MTA, Hungary
• since 2015 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• since 2013 Foreign Member, Académie d'Agriculture de France, France
• 2012 Széchenyi Prize (Széchenyi-díj), Ministry of National Resources, Hungary
• 2012 IS-MPMI Award (together with Adam Kondorosi), International Society of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
• 2011 Prix de La Recherche en Biologie, La Recherche
• 2010-2016 Corresponding Member, MTA, Hungary
• since 2010 Foreign Associated Member, National Academy of Sciences (NAS), USA
• since 2010 Member, Academia Europaea
• 2007 Magda Gábor-Hotchkiss Award, Dr. Rollin D. Hotchkiss Foundation, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
• since 2006 Member, EMBO
• 1985 Academic Award (Akadémiai Díj), MTA, Hungary
• Fellowship, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
• Fellowship, AFRC Unit of Nitrogen Fixation, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
• Fellowship, Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Köln
• Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
• Fellowship, Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA