Keynote talk title: Integrated MS-based OMICs to Reveal Intercellular Communication Events in Plant Systemic Immunity
Dr. Yet-Ran Chen is a research fellow and professor at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center (ABRC), Academia Sinica, Taiwan, and serves as president of the Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry (TSMS). His research focuses on advancing mass spectrometry-based technologies to elucidate intercellular communication in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. His pioneering work in peptidomics led to the discovery of CAP-derived peptides (CAPEs), novel and conserved cytokines derived from the canonical plant immune marker pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1). CAPE peptides, produced during wounding or infection, activate anti-herbivore and anti-pathogen defenses and operate downstream of salicylic acid (SA) to trigger systemic immunity for broad-spectrum resistance. These findings showcase the first example of using untargeted peptidomics to identify a novel peptide signal in plants, resolve the long-standing mystery of PR1’s role in plant immunity, and establish CAPE peptides as key mediators of systemic acquired resistance (SAR), even in SA-deficient plants.
Recognized for his contributions to plant immune biology and mass spectrometry, Dr. Chen’s work has been highlighted multiple times by Academia Sinica and honored with prestigious awards in Taiwan, including the Yang-Shang Fa Outstanding Young Scientists Award, the Academia Sinica Junior Research Investigators Award, and the TSMS Distinguished Scholar Award. His research addresses global agricultural challenges by advancing crop immunity, reducing agrochemical reliance, and promoting sustainable practices.
