Our group aims to contribute to a better understanding of the genetic and environmental control of organ specification and growth.

During lineage reprogramming in animal cells, a mature somatic cell is artificially transformed into another, distinct somatic cell without undergoing an intermediate pluripotent state. In many cases however, cell reprogramming is incomplete or it occurs only between two functionally-related cell types. Furthermore, the ability for lineage reprogramming of animal cells becomes restricted by its epigenetic context.

Although it is assumed that all plant cells are totipotent, recent studies suggest that only some of them remain in a pluripotent state throughout the life cycle of the plant and it is from these cells that new organs initiate in response to hormonal induction.