Dr. Götz Hensel

Research focus

The group's primary focus is on targeted genome modification of plants. This includes classical transgenic approaches and new targeted mutagenesis methods, better known as CRISPR/Cas technology. The aim will be to establish and develop suitable vector and tissue culture systems for plant species in the research focus within CEPLAS, enabling genetic transformation and, thus, genome modification. Projects focus on understanding genetic networks underlying photosynthesis, plant architecture (below and above ground), and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby contributing to important agronomic traits such as yield and avoidance of crop losses.

Most important publications

  1. Cardi T, Murovec J, Bakhsh A, Boniecka J, Bruegmann T, Bull SE, Eeckhaut T, Fladung M, Galovic V, Linkiewicz A, Lukan T, Mafra I, Michalski K, Kavas M, Nicolia A, Nowakowska J, Sági L, Sarmiento C, Yildrim K, Zlatkovic M, Hensel G, Van Laere K (2023) CRISPR/Cas-mediated plant genome editing outstanding challenges a decade after implementation. Trends Plant Sci 28(10):1144-1165. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.05.012.
  2. Ganie SA, Wani SH, Henry R, Hensel G (2021) Improving rice salt tolerance by precision breeding in a new era. Curr Opin Plant Biol 60. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.101996.
  3. Hensel G (2020) Genetic transformation of Triticeae cereals - Summary of almost three-decade's development. Biotechnol Adv 40. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107484.
  4. Pourkheirandish M, Hensel G, Kilian B, Senthil N, Chen G, Sameri M, Azhaguvel P, Sakuma S, Dhanagond S, Sharma R, Mascher M, Himmelbach A, Gottwald S, Nair SK, Tagiri A, Yukuhiro F, Nagamura Y, Kanamori H, Matsumoto T, Willcox G, Middleton CP, Wicker T, Walther A, Waugh R, Fincher GB, Stein N, Kumlehn J, Sato K, Komatsuda T (2015) Evolution of the Grain Dispersal System in Barley. Cell 162(3):527-539. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.002.
  5. Hensel G, Kastner C, Oleszczuk S, Riechen J, Kumlehn J (2009) Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer to cereal crop plants: current protocols for barley, wheat, triticale, and maize. Int J Plant Genomics 2009:835608. doi: 10.1155/2009/835608.
Dr. Götz Hensel

+49 211 8110296

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Head of Centre for Plant Genome Engineering
Institute of Plant Biochemistry
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

http://www.plant-biochemistry.hhu.de