The Laboratory of Plant Cell and Developmental Biology (LPCDB) is led by Professor Ikram Blilou. The group's research concentrates on understanding plant developmental processes while focusing on their root system architecture. The date palm, mangrove, and Sodom apple species have shaped their roots to cope with scarce water, high salinity, and poor nutrient availability, characteristics which can be exploited to engineer more resilient crops for arid environments. By revealing strategies employed by the date palm to survive in arid conditions, Blilou’s team establishes genetic tools that allow date palms to grow faster, healthier, and with roots that require even less water. LPCDB also studies the regulatory networks that control protein movement and asymmetric cell division in plant roots.