Zeynep Begüm Şen, PhD student in Yan Ma’s group at the GMI, receives a competitive DOC Fellowship from the ÖAW to support her research on “Investigating Phytohormonal Regulations in Swede Midge-Induced Galls on Arabidopsis thaliana”. 

Plant galls are specialized structures that form when organisms like insects or other pests alter plant development.  The Swede Midge (Contarinia nasturtii) is one such insect pest, inducing galls on Brassica plants and damaging economically important crops, including canola, broccoli, and cauliflower. Gall formation requires reprogramming of plant cells, suggesting that phytohormone regulation might play a key role in this process. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be thoroughly studied. 

Through her research, Şen aims to elucidate the phytohormonal regulation of insect-induced galls, with a focus on hormones that coordinate plant growth and defence. To achieve this, she will use a robust Arabidopsis thaliana infestation model developed in the Ma lab, which has demonstrated successful Swede Midge-induced gall formation. By investigating the interplay of plant hormones and signalling pathways in gall formation, her work will address an important knowledge gap and advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in insect gall induction.  

About Zeynep Begüm Şen:  

Zeynep Begüm Şen received a Master's degree in Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics from Istanbul University. In 2024, she joined Yan Ma’s lab as a Vienna BioCenter PhD student.  

About the DOC Fellowship Program:  

The Doctoral Fellowship Program of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is awarded to highly qualified doctoral candidates across areas of basic research. Selected applicants receive funding for a period of two to three years, with the goal of supporting recipients with completion of their dissertation.