Profile
Abstract
As a group leader (Habilitandin) at the Institute of Biology, I lead the "Sustainable Resilience Development" research group. My team focuses on understanding and enhancing plant adaptation to environmental stresses, with a strong emphasis on nitrogen deficiency and flooding-induced hypoxia. While we use Arabidopsis as a model, our core translational work centers on rapeseed and tomato, two economically important crops.
Our goal is to identify early molecular markers and mechanisms that can be used to improve crop stress resilience and food security.
In parallel, I coordinate and teach the Plant Physiology as well as General and Applied Botany practical courses. I greatly enjoy combining foundational knowledge with research-driven, application-oriented learning to train and integrate students into plant sciences. I also supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s theses and mentor PhD students.
Personal website: https://safavi-rizilab.weebly.com
Sustainable Resilience Development
Project 1: Marker Genes & AI-Assisted Nitrogen Fertilizer Optimization (NAIFM)
(BMBF-Funded Initiative within the ArtIFARM Alliance)
This BMBF-funded project collaborates with universities, research institutions, and industry to optimize nitrogen fertilizer use. Our goal is to reduce costs and environmental impact by improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) through marker genes and AI.
Key Research Areas:
- Developing NUE marker gene databases
- Enhancing AI-driven nitrogen management
- Conducting field trials
For more, visit: ArtIFARM - NAIFM Project
https://artifarm.hochschule-stralsund.de/index.php/projekte/naifm/
Project 2: Flooding Resilience & Nitric Oxide Signaling Dynamics
(Supported by the Predoc Award and the Flexible Fund from the University of Leipzig)
Flooding is a major stress affecting plant growth. Nitric oxide (NO) is key in plant responses to flooding. Our research advances NO signaling to enhance plant resilience, promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.
Key Research Areas:
- Identifying NO-responsive genes
- Exploring NO cross-talk with other molecules
- Developing biosensors for NO detection
For collaborations or B.Sc. and M.Sc. projects, contact Dr. Vajiheh Safavi-Rizi.
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Leipzig University
2021-Present
- Leader of the Plant Physiology Internship (teacher education)
- Leader of the Practical Course and Relevant Lectures for General and Applied Botany (teacher education)
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University of Greifswald
2017-2021
- Bachelor-Plant Physiology practical course
- Bachelor-Specialization Internship, Plant Physiology practical course
- Master Internship-Plant Stress Physiology practical course
- Master-Biological Interactions of Plants Lecture