Thomas Widiez, a researcher at the Plant Reproduction and Development Laboratory (RDP), affiliated with the ENS de Lyon, INRAE, the CNRS, and Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, received the Early Career Research Award in Plant Reproduction in September 2026. This international distinction was presented at the IASPRR's biennial conference.
This prestigious award recognizes young scientists whose work over the first ten years of their independent careers has significantly advanced the knowledge of sexual plant reproduction. It highlights the importance of fundamental research in this field.
“"It is a great joy, of course, and a great honor to receive this distinction from the scientific community. Science is a collective endeavor, and I am deeply grateful to everyone in the team and my collaborators who have helped make these discoveries possible."
Within the RDP's « Seed Development » team, Thomas Widiez focuses his research on the mechanisms of plant reproduction and development, particularly concerning embryo and seed formation. His work has notably identified several molecular mechanisms in maize that lead to the formation of haploid embryos, which possess only a single set of chromosomes.
These findings provide new fundamental insights into plant reproduction. Thomas Widiez, who also received the Limagrain Prize from the French Academy of Agriculture in 2022, expresses his enthusiasm for continuing his research as a permanent researcher, encouraged by this latest recognition.
