Meristemania
Stem Cell Biology — Heidelberg University

Stem cells,
continuously —
for a plant’s entire life.

We work out how a small, self-organising niche of cells at the shoot apex specifies, maintains, and tunes the stem cell population that builds every leaf, stem and flower a plant will ever make — and how it does so across days, seasons, and generations.

The Meristemania mark: a domed mosaic of cells with six primordia budding off along the golden angle.

What we work on

Full programme →

01 — Transcriptional core

WUSCHEL & the architecture of the stem cell niche

How does one short-range signal sustain a stem cell population across decades of growth?

We investigate cell-type-resolved targets, cofactors and chromatin states of the stem cell–inducing transcription factor WUS.

02 — Context-dependent networks

Decoding context-dependent networks in vivo

How do genes work together to build complex tissues?

We apply conditional CRISPR perturbations, single-cell transcriptomics and imaging in the Arabidopsis root tip and the Drosophila gut, to identify functional genetic networks. Part of ERC Synergy DECODE.

03 — Hormonal integration

Cytokinin, auxin & the whole-plant conversation

How is stem cell activity integrated into plant development?

We elucidate how cytokinin, auxin and jasmonate intersect the WUS stem cell circuit — including the trade-off between growth and defence at the shoot apex.

04 — Environment, growth & regeneration

Sensing the world: acclimation, regeneration and growth

How do temperature, light and nutrients affect stem cells?

We study TOR-kinase activity, auxin signalling and cellular gradients, and how the same cues set the limits of regeneration across Marchantia, Arabidopsis and Brachypodium. Part of the GreenRobust Cluster of Excellence.

Confocal optical section through the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem showing the auxin-response reporter DR5 marking new organ primordia.
Auxin-response reporter (DR5) in the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem marks the foci of organ initiation around the central stem cell niche.

Recent & signature work

All publications →
  1. 2023Nitric Oxide controls shoot meristem activity via regulation of DNA methylation.Zeng J, Zhao X, Liang Z, Hidalgo I, Gebert M, Fan P, Wenzl C, Gornik SG, Lohmann JUNature Comm.
  2. 2020Structural basis for the complex DNA binding behavior of the plant stem cell regulator WUSCHEL.Sloan J, Hakenjos JP, Gebert M, Gumiero A, Stier G, Wild K, Sinning I, Lohmann JUNature Comm.
  3. 2019WUSCHEL acts as an auxin response rheostat to maintain apical stem cells in Arabidopsis.Ma Y, Miotk A, Sutikovic Z, Ermakova O, Wenzl C, Medzihradsky A, Gaillochet C, Forner J, Utan G, Brackmann K, Galvan-Ampudia CS, Vernoux T, Greb T, Lohmann JUNature Comm.
  4. 2016Integration of light and metabolic signals for stem cell activation at the shoot apical meristem.Pfeiffer A, Janocha D, Dong Y, Medzihradszky A, Schöne S, Daum G, Suzaki T, Forner J, Langenecker T, Rempel E, Schmid M, Wirtz M, Hell R, Lohmann JUeLife
  5. 2014A mechanistic framework of non-cell autonomous stem cell induction in Arabidopsis.Daum G, Medzihradszky A, Suzaki T, Lohmann JUPNAS
  6. 2010Hormonal control of the shoot stem cell niche.Zhao Z, Andersen SU, Ljung K, Dolezal K, Miotk A, Schultheiss SJ, Lohmann JUNature
  7. 2005A gene expression map of Arabidopsis thaliana development.Schmid M, Davison TS, Henz SR, Pape UJ, Demar M, Vingron M, Schölkopf B, Weigel D, Lohmann JUNature Genetics
  8. 2005WUSCHEL controls meristem function by direct regulation of cytokinin-inducible response regulators.Leibfried A, To JPC, Stehling S, Busch W, Kehle A, Demar M, Kieber JJ, Lohmann JUNature
  9. 2001A molecular link between stem cell regulation and floral patterning in Arabidopsis.Lohmann JU, Hong R, Hobe M, Busch MA, Parcy F, Simon R, Weigel DCell

Curious about plant stem cells? Come work with us.

Open positions →