Position: Director of the Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB)
Head of Department of Molecular Stress Physiology, CPSBB
Head of Department of Funding, CPSBB
Person-in-Charge of the Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) for the PlantaSYST project
Tsanko Gechev is Professor at the University of Plovdiv, where he teaches Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics. Since 2015, he is the Director of the Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB).
Dr. Gechev obtained a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Plovdiv. He had specializations at the University of Gent (Belgium), Plant Research International and the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH, Zurich, Switzerland), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (USA), University of Potsdam and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (Germany).
Current research interests of Dr. Gechev include: Plant Genomics, Reactive oxygen species as modulators of plant stress responses and programmed cell death, Molecular mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in Haberlea rhodopensis.
Dr. Gechev is member of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) and the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria.
In 2017, Dr. Gechev received the Pythagoras prize awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
Staykov N.S., Angelov M., Petrov V., Minkov P., Kanojia A., Guinan K.J., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Neerakkal S., Gechev T.S. (2021) An Ascophyllum nodosum-derived biostimulant protects model and crop plants from oxidative stress. Metabolites. 11(1): 24.
Rasul F., Gupta S., Olas J., Gechev T., Sujeeth N., Mueller-Roeber B. (2021) Priming with a seaweed extract strongly improves drought tolerance in Arabidopsis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(3): 1469.
Faisal M., Gechev Т., Mueller-Roeber B., Dijkwel P. (2020) Putative alternative translation start site-encoding nucleotides of CPR5 regulate growth and resistance. BMC Plant Biology. 20(1):295. (IF 3.497)
Gechev T., Georgiev M.I., Fernie A. (2020) PlantaSyst: Teaming-up for systems biology and biotechnology. Trends in Plant Science. 25(7): 621-624.
Gechev T., Petrov V. (2020) Reactive oxygen species and abiotic stress in plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21: 7433.
Kanojia A., Gupta S., Benina M., Fernie A., Mueller-Roeber B., Gechev T., Dijkwel P. (2020) Developmentally controlled changes during Arabidopsis leaf development indicate causes for loss of stress tolerance with age. Journal of Experimental Botany. 71(20):6340-6354.
Kerchev P., van der Meer T., Sujeeth S., Verlee A., Stevens C.V., Van Breusegem F., Gechev T. (2020) Molecular priming as an approach to induce tolerance against abiotic and oxidative stresses in crop plants. Biotechnology Advances. 40: 107503.
Lyall R., Gechev T. (2020) Multi-omics insights into the evolution of angiosperm resurrection plants. Annual Plant Reviews Online. 3(1): 77-110.
Lyall R., Nikoloski Z., Gechev, T. (2020) Comparative analysis of ROS network genes in extremophile eukaryotes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21: 9131.
Omidbakhshfard M.A., Sujeeth N., Gupta S., Omranian N., Guinan K.J., Brotman Y., Nikoloski Z., Fernie A., Mueller-Roeber B., Gechev T. (2020) A biostimulant obtained from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum protects Arabidopsis thaliana from severe oxidative stress. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21(2): 1–26.
Sujeeth N., Mehterov N., Gupta S., Qureshi M.K., Fischer A., Proost S., Omidbakhshfard M.A., Obata T., Benina M., Staykov N., Balazadeh S., Walther D., Fernie A.R., Mueller-Roeber B., Hille J., Gechev T.S. (2020) A novel seed plants gene regulates oxidative stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 77(4), 705–718.
Gupta S, Dong Y, Dijkwel PP, Mueller-Roeber B, Gechev TS (2019) Genome-wide analysis of ROS antioxidant genes in resurrection species suggest an involvement of distinct ROS detoxification systems during desiccation. Int J Mol Sci. 20(12).
Durgud M, Gupta S, Ivanov I, Omidbakhshfard MA, Benina M, Alseekh S, Staykov N, Hauenstein M, Dijkwel PP, Hörtensteiner S, Toneva V, Brotman Y, Fernie AR, Mueller-Roeber B, Gechev TS (2018) Molecular mechanisms preventing senescence in response to prolonged darkness in a desiccation-tolerant plant. Plant Physiol 177(3): 1319-1338.
Petrov V, Qureshi MK, Hille J, Gechev T (2018) Occurrence, biochemistry and biological effects of host-selective plant mycotoxins. Food Chem Toxicol. 112:251-264.
Benina M, Ribeiro DM, Gechev TS, Mueller-Roeber B, Schippers JH (2015) A cell type-specific view on the translation of mRNAs from ROS-responsive genes upon paraquat treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Plant, Cell & Environment 38(2): 349-63.
Gechev TS, Hille J, Woerdenbag HJ, Benina M, Mehterov N, Toneva V, Fernie AR, Mueller-Roeber B (2014) Natural products from resurrection plants: potential for medical applications. Biotechnology Advances 32(6): 1091-101.
Ivanov I, Benina M, Petrov V, Gechev T, Toneva V (2014) Metabolic responses of Gloxinia perennis to dehydration and rehydration. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie Bulgare des Sciences. 67(12): 1657-1662.
Gechev T, Mehterov N, Denev I, Hille J (2013) A simple and powerful approach for isolation of Arabidopsis mutants with increased tolerance to H2O2-induced cell death. Methods in Enzymology 527: 203-20. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-405882-8.00011-8.
Benina M, Obata T, Mehterov N, Ivanov I, Petrov V, Toneva V, Fernie AR, Gechev TS (2013) Comparative metabolic profiling of Haberlea rhodopensis, Thellungiella halophyla, and Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to low temperature. Frontiers in Plant Science 4: 499.
Gechev T, Benina M, Obata T, Tohge T, Sujeeth N, Minkov I, Hille J, Temanni R, Marriott AS, Thomas-Oates J, Antonio C, Müller-Röber B, Schippers JHM, Fernie AR, Toneva V (2013) Molecular mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in the resurrection glacial relic Haberlea rhodopensis. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 70: 689-709.
Qureshi MK, Sujeeth N, Gechev TS, Hille J (2013) The zinc finger protein ZAT11 modulates paraquat-induced programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana. Acta physiologiae plantarum 35(6): 1863–1871.
Petrov V, Schippers J, Benina M, Minkov I, Mueller-Roeber B, Gechev T (2013) In search for new players of the oxidative stress network by phenotyping an Arabidopsis T-DNA mutant collection on reactive oxygen species-eliciting chemicals. Plant Omics Journal 6(1): 46-54.
Benina M, Petrov, V Toneva, A Teneva, T Gechev (2013) Molecular biology and physiology of the resurrection glacial relic Haberlea rhodopensis. In: Biotechnology of neglected and underutilized crops. S. Dutta Gupta (Editor), Springer, 61-70. Doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-5500-0_4.
Mehterov N, Balazadeh S, Hille J, Toneva V, Mueller-Roeber B, Gechev T (2012) Oxidative stress provokes distinct transcriptional responses in the stress-tolerant atr7 and stress-sensitive loh2 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants as revealed by multi-parallel quantitative real-time PCR analysis of ROS marker and antioxidant genes. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 59: 20-9.
Gechev T, Dinakar C, Benina M, Toneva V, Bartels D (2012) Molecular mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in resurrection plants. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 69: 3175-86.
Gechev TS, Hille J (2012) Molecular basis of plant stress. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 69(19): 3161-3. doi: 10.1007/s00018-012-1086-2
Petrov V, Vermeirssen V, De Clercq I, Van Breusegem F, Minkov I, Vandepoele K, Gechev TS (2012) Identification of cis-regulatory elements specific for different types of reactive oxygen species in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene 499(1): 52-60.
Boyadzhiev PS, Gechev TS, Donev AD (2012) A universal microscope manipulator.
Edreva A, Demirevska K, Gesheva E, Gechev T (2011) Up-regulation of ROS scavenging enzymes in atr Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with compromised programmed cell death. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie Bulgare des Sciences. 64: 1131-1136.
Qureshi MK, Radeva V, Genkov T, Minkov I, Hille J, Gechev TS (2011) Isolation and characterization of Arabidopsis mutants with enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 3: 375–382. DOI: 10.1007/s11738-010-0556-0
Gechev T, Petrov V, Minkov I (2010) Reactive oxygen species and programmed cell death. In: Reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in higher plants. S. Dutta Gupta (Editor), CRC Press, 65-78.
Edreva A, Pouneva I, Gesheva E, Gechev T (2010) Suppression of ROS accumulation in atr Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with compromised programmed cell death. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie Bulgare des Sciences. 63(7): 1003-1008.
Radeva V, Petrov V, Minkov I, Toneva V, Gechev T (2010) Effect of cadmium on Arabidopsis thaliana mutants tolerant to oxidative stress. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment 24:sup1: 113-118.
Edreva A, Pouneva I, Gesheva E, Gechev T (2010) Suppression of ROS accumulation in atr Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with compromised programmed cell death. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie Bulgare des Sciences. 63(7): 1003-1008.
Gadjev I, Stone JM, Gechev TS (2008) Programmed cell death in plants: new insights into redox regulation and the role of hydrogen peroxide. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 270: 87-144.
Gechev TS, Ferwerda MA, Mehterov N, Laloi C, Qureshi MK, Hille J (2008) Arabidopsis AAL-toxin-resistant mutant atr1 shows enhanced tolerance to programmed cell death induced by reactive oxygen species. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 375(4): 639-44.
Janknegt PJ, Rijstenbil JW, van de Poll WH, Gechev TS, Buma AG (2007) A comparison of quantitative and qualitative superoxide dismutase assays for application to low temperature microalgae. J Photochem Photobiol B. 87(3): 218-26.
Gechev TS, Van Breusegem F, Stone JM, Denev I, Laloi C (2006) Reactive oxygen species as signals that modulate plant stress responses and programmed cell death. Bioessays 28: 1091-101.
Gadjev I, Vanderauwera S, Gechev TS, Laloi C, Minkov IN, Shulaev V, Apel K, Inzé D, Mittler R, Van Breusegem F (2006) Transcriptomic footprints disclose specificity of reactive oxygen species signaling in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 141: 436-45.
Gechev T, Minkov I, Hille J (2005) Hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in Arabidopsis: transcriptional and mutant analysis reveals a role of an oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase gene in the cell death process. IUBMB Life 57: 181-188.
Gechev T, Hille J (2005) Hydrogen peroxide as a signal controlling plant programmed cell death. Journal of Cell Biology 168: 17-20.
Herrero S, Gechev T, Bakker PL, Moar WJ, de Maagd RA (2005) Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ca-resistant Spodoptera exigua lacks expression of one of four Aminopeptidase N genes. BMC Genomics. 6: 96.
Gechev TS, Gadjev IZ, Hille J (2004) An extensive microarray analysis of AAL-toxin-induced cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana brings new insights into the complexity of programmed cell death in plants. Cell Mol Life Sci. 61(10): 1185-97.
Gechev T, Willekens H, Van Montagu M, Inzé D, Van Camp W, Toneva V, Minkov I (2003) Different responses of tobacco antioxidant enzymes to light and chilling stress. J Plant Physiol.160(5):509-15.
Gechev T, Gadjev I, Van Breusegem F, Inzé D, Dukiandjiev S, Toneva V, Minkov I (2002) Hydrogen peroxide protects tobacco from oxidative stress by inducing a set of antioxidant enzymes. Cell Mol Life Sci. 59(4): 708-14.
SELECTED PROJECTS:
Funding agency: Executive Agency “Operational Program Science and Education for Smart Growth”
Funding scheme: “Complementary support for Bulgarian scientific organizations implementing projects under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, WIDESPREAD-Teaming Phase 2”
Grant number: BG05M2ОP001-1.003
Project title: Contract for Research Infrastructure and Equipment for the PlantaSYST Project
Grant amount: BGN 29 998 861, 62 BGN (15,338,174 EUR)
Duration: 2020 – 2023
Role: Coordinator
Funding agency: European Commission, H2020
Funding scheme: European Researchers’ Night
Grant number: MSCA-NIGHT-2019 – Grant number: 955283
Project Acronym: K-Trio 4
Project title: Researchers in the knowledge triangle.
Grant amount: 117,098.75 EUR
Duration: 2020-2021
Role in the project: Beneficiary (CPSBB; Vesela Kazashka)
Status: Funded
Funding agency: Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
Proposal number: Funding scheme: CA19116
Project Acronym: PLANTMETALS
Project title: Trace metal metabolism in plants.
Duration: 4 years (2020-2024)
Role in the project: MC Member (CPSBB; Tsanko Gechev)
Status: Funded
Funding agency: European Commission, H2020
Funding scheme: MSCA-RISE
Grant number: 823746
Project Acronym: RESIST
Project title: “Resurrection plants reveal secrets of vegetative desiccation tolerance”
Grant amount: 1 062 600.00 EUR
Duration: 2019 – 2023
Role in the project: Coordinator
Participating organizations:
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
BioAtlantis, Ireland
Ben Gurion University, Israel
University of Cape Town, South Africa
Funding agency: European Commission, H2020
Funding scheme: WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017 – Teaming Phase 2, SGA-CSA – Specific Grant agreement and Coordination and Support Action
Grant number: 739582
Project Acronym: PlantaSYST
Project title: “Establishment of a Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology for the translation of fundamental research into sustainable bio-based technologies in Bulgaria”
Grant amount: 14 940 000.00 EUR
Duration: 2017 – 2024
Role in the project: Coordinator
Participating organizations:
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Maritsa Vegetable Crops Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgariali
Institute of Microbiology, Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology Plovdiv, Bulgariali
Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
Funding agency: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Funding scheme: Federal Government’s Strategy for the Internationalization of Science and Research, “Establishment and Expansion of Joint Research Structures in Europe” funding programme
Project Acronym: PlantInno
Project title: “Strengthening the Plant Research and Innovation Capacity in Plovdiv, Bulgaria”
Grant amount: 134 237.00 EUR
Duration: 2015 – 2018
Role in the project: Principal Investigator
Participating organizations:
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Funding scheme: WIDESPREAD-01-2014 Teaming, SGA-CSA – Specific Grant agreement and Coordination and Support Action
Grant number: 664621
Project Acronym: PlantaSYST
Project title: “Establishment of a Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology for the translation of fundamental research into sustainable bio-based technologies in Bulgaria”
Grant amount: 494 726.00 EUR
Duration: 2015 – 2026
Role in the project: Coordinator
Participating organizations:
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Maritsa Vegetable Crops Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Institute of Microbiology, Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Center of Plant Systems Biology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
Funding agency: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Funding scheme: SCOPES
Grant number: IZEBZ0_110774
Project title: “Identification of genes involved in regulation and execution of programmed cell death in Aradidopsis thaliana: a functional genomics approach”
Grant amount: 70 960.00 CHF
Duration: 2013 – 2016
Role in the project: Principal Investigator
Participating organizations:
University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
CPSBB has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, project PlantaSYST (SGA-CSA No. 739582 under FPA No. 664620), and the BG05M2OP001-1.003-001-C01 project, financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the "Science and Education for Smart Growth" Operational Programme
