Prof. Dr. Laura Ragni
Focus of research
- Radial growth of plant organs
- Root protective barriers
- Plant polymers
CV
- Since 2023, Professor of Plant Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, DE
- 2013–2023 Research group leader, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, DE
- 2012–2013 Marie Heim-Vögtlin fellow (SNSF), Department of Plant Molecular Biology (DBMV), University of Lausanne, CH
- 2010–2012 EMBO long-term fellow, DBMV, University of Lausanne, CH
- 2009 Postdoc, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (DBMV), University of Lausanne, CH
- 2005–2008, PhD student in cell biology, INRA Versailles, University of Paris XI, FR
- 1999–2005 B.Sc. + M.Sc. in Plant Biotechnology, University of Milano, IT
Selected publications
- Molina, D., Horvath, S., Zhang, X., Xiao, W., Ragab, N., Ripper, D., Kilian, J., Andersen, T.G., and Ragni, L. (2025). Members of the MYB68 subclade orchestrate cork differentiation by regulating stem cell proliferation and suberin deposition. Cell Reports 44, 116048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116048
- Xiao, W., Yang, L., Molina, D., Chen, H., Yu, S., Miao, Y., Ripper, D., Deng, S., Bayer, M., De Rybel, B., and Ragni, L. (2025). An AINTEGUMENTA phosphoswitch controls bilateral stem cell activity during secondary growth. PNAS, 122 (47) e2510538122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2510538122
- Andersen TG, Molina D, Kilian J, Franke R, Ragni L* and Geldner N. 2021. Tissueautonomous phenylpropanoid production is essential for establishment of root barriers. Current Biology. 31(5):965-977.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.11.070 *corresponding authors.
- Xiao W, Molina D, Wunderling A, Ripper D and Vermeer J and Ragni L. 2020. Pluripotent Pericycle Cells Trigger Different Growth Outputs by Integrating Developmental Cues into Distinct Regulatory Modules. Current Biology. 30(22):4384-4398.e4385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.053
- Ben-Targem M, Ripper D, Bayer M, Ragni L. 2021. Auxin and gibberellin signalling crosstalk promotes hypocotyl xylem expansion and cambium homeostasis. Journal of Exp. Botany. 72(10): 3647-3660. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erab089