2. Who is Who?
  3. Champagne Viticulture
  4. AZIZ Aziz

AZIZ Aziz

Full Professor at the University of Reims, France

Contact details

Induced Resistance and Plant Bioprotection USC INRAE 1488

UFR Sciences Exactes et Naturelles

BP 1039 – Campus Moulin de la Housse

University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne

51687 Reims Cedex 2, France

Tél. +33(0)326918525 / @ aziz.aziz@univ-reims.fr

Brief career history

  • 1996. PhD at the University of Rennes 1, 35-France
  • 1997. Post-doc at INRA Versailles, Lab Biology of the Rhizosphere, 78-France
  • 1998-2002. Post-doc Researcher at the University of Reims Champagne Ardenne 51-France
  • 2003. Associate Professor at the University of Reims, 51-France
  • 2003. Accreditation to supervise research (HDR) at the University of Reims, 51-France
  • 2008-2020. Obtaining Scientific Excellence Award from the minister of National Education and Research.
  • 2012-2023. Co-Head of research team “Immunity and Beneficial Microorganisms”, Induced Resistance and Plant Bioprotection, USC INRAE 1488, University of Reims, France
  • 2020 – present, Full Professor at the University of Reims.

Research activities

My research is based on approaches that integrate the study of physiological and molecular processes involved in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This research is particularly focused on the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in the induced plant resistance to pathogens by beneficial bacteria and derivative MAMPS, and the crosstalk between abiotic stress tolerance mechanisms of immune response.

Keyword Research

Plant-microbe interactions, Biocontrol, grapevine, beneficial bacteria, MAMPs, induced resistance, defense responses, innate immunity, primary and secondary metabolism, polyamines, phytoalexins.

Responsibilities/roles in local/national bodies

  • 2011-2020. Elected member of the National Council of Universities, 68th section.
  • From 2012. Co-leader of the group "Immunity and Beneficial Microorganisms" at the University of Reims.
  • 2016-2020. Member of the Academic Council of the University of Reims.
  • 2016-2020. Member of the Research Commission of the University of Reims.
  • 2016-2022. Member of the Masters Commission at the University of Reims.
  • 2016-2022. Member of the working group of "Biocontrol Consortium" led by INRAE.
  • 2016-2022. Member of the National Biocontrol Consortium Network.
  • 2007-2021: Member of the jury (reviewer) for 22 PhD defenses.

Teaching activities

  • 2015-2023: Head of the 2nd year Master “Plant Production and Bioprotection", University of Reims
  • 2003-2023: Responsible for 5 teaching Units of Master "Agro-Resources and Environment" and "Plant Production and Environmental Impacts"
  • 2011-2016: Head of Professional License "Viticulture and Environment"
  • Supervisor of 10 successfully defended PhD, 3 post-doc, 4 ongoing PhD, and more than 50 training masters.

Keywords Teaching

Ecophysiology, plant protection, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, adaptations of plants to their environment, organism interactions, landscape ecology.

Coordination of regional, national and international programmes

Participation to the CPER programs VINEAL, VINEAL2 and AQUAL from 2002 to 2013. Participation to STilROOT- Regional (2013-2017) and VSOP- Regional (2013-2017).

International projects during the last 5 years

  • 2021-2024: MiDiVine: Innovative Approaches Promoting Functional Microbial Diversity for a Sustainable Grapevine Health and Productivity in Vineyard Systems of Mediterranean areas. H2020-PRIMA-S2-2020.
  • 2019-2024: PANTHEON: Novel Approaches for Plant Health Monitoring. H2020-MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE Actions Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE).
  • 2021-2024: Glycostil: Glycosylated Stilbenes Biobased Production for Cosmetic Applications. ANR PRCE.
  • 2019-2022: VitEst « Grapevine Health in Grand-Est Region», Regional Cooperation Fund for Research 2019.
  • 2017-2021: INTERFUTURE3: From microbial interactions to new-concept biopesticides and biofertilizers. MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE ITN.
  • 2016-2019: VitiSmart: Toward a sustainable viticulture: Improved grapevine productivity and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses by combining resistant cultivars and beneficial microorganisms. EraNet–FACCE.

Peer-reviewed publications during the last 5 years

1. Mijailovic N., Nesler A., Perazzolli M., Aït Barka E., Aziz A. (2021) Rare Sugars: Recent Advances and their Potential Role in Sustainable Crop Protection. Molecules 26, 1720. https://doi.org/10.3390/ molecules26061720

2. Peal C., Fontaine F., Aziz A., Egas C., Clément C., Trotel-Aziz P. (2021) Genome sequence analysis of the beneficial Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 isolated from a Vitis vinifera (cv. Chardonnay) rhizospheric soil: assets for sustainable biocontrol. Environmental Microbiome 16:3, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-021-00372-3.

3. Nguyen N-H., Trotel-Aziz P., Villaume S., Rabenoelina F., Schwarzenberg A., Nguema-Ona E., Clément C., Baillieul F., Aziz A. (2020) Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens trigger common and distinct systemic immune responses in Arabidopsis thaliana depending on the pathogen lifestyle. Vaccines 8, 503; doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030503.

4. Aziz A., Perazzolli M, Gramaje D, Zyprian EM and Cantu D (2020) Editorial: Recent Advances on Grapevine-Microbe Interactions: From Signal Perception to Resistance Response. Front. Plant Sci. 11:1164. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01164.

5. Asghari S., Harighi B., Ashengroph M., Clément C., Aziz A., Esmaeel Q., Ait Barka E. (2020) Induction of systemic resistance to Agrobacterium tumefaciens by endophytic bacteria in grapevine. Plant Pathology doi:10.1111/ppa.13175.

6. Tzortzakis N., Chrysargyris A., Aziz A. (2020) Adaptive response of a native mediterranean grapevine cultivar upon short-term exposure to drought and heat stress in the context of climate change. Agronomy 10, 249; doi:10.3390/agronomy10020249

7. Lakkis S., Trotel-Aziz P., Rabenoelina F., Schwarzenberg A., Nguema-Ona E., Clément C., Aziz A. (2019) Strengthening grapevine resistance by Pseudomonas fluorescens PTA-CT2 relies on distinct defense pathways in susceptible and partially resistant genotypes to downy mildew and gray mold diseases. Front. Plant Sci. 10:1112. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01112.

8.Trotel-Aziz P., Abou-Mansour E., Courteaux B., Rabenoelina F., Clément C., Fontaine F., Aziz A. (2019) Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 Counteracts Botryosphaeria Dieback in Grapevine, Triggering Immune Responses and Detoxification of Fungal Phytotoxins. Front. Plant Sci. 10:25. doi: 10.3389/ fpls.2019.00025.

9. Hatmi S., Villaume S., Trotel-Aziz P., Aït Barka E., Clément C., Aziz A. (2018) Osmotic Stress and ABA Affect Immune Response and Susceptibility of Grapevine Berries to Gray Mold by Priming Polyamine Accumulation. Front. Plant Sci. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01010.

10. Vatsa P., Aziz A., Rondeau M., Villaume S., Morjani H., Clément C., Ait Barka E. (2017) How Streptomyces anulatus primes grapevine defenses to cope with gray mold: A study of the early responses of cell suspensions. Front. Plant Sci. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01043.

11. Jeandet P., Courot E., Clément C., Ricord S., Crouzet J., Aziz A., Cordelier S. (2017) Molecular Engineering of Phytoalexins in Plants: Benefits and Limitations for Food and Agriculture. J. Agric. Food Chem. 65: 2643-2644.

12. Nivelle L., Hubert J., Courot E., Jeandet P., Aziz A., Nuzillard J-M., Renault J-H., Clément C., Martiny L., Delmas D., Tarpin M. (2017) Anti-cancer activity of resveratrol and derivatives produced by grapevine cell suspensions in a 14 L stirred bioreactor. Molecules 22, 474; doi: 10.3390/molecules22030474.

13. Tisserant L-P., Aziz A., Jullian N., Jeandet P., Clément C., Courot E., Boitel-Conti M. (2016) Enhanced stilbene production and excretion in Vitis vinifera cv Pinot Noir hairy root cultures. Molecules 21, 1703; doi:10.3390/molecules21121703.

14. Tisserant L-P., Hubert J, Lequart M, Borie N, Maurin N, Pilard S, Jeandet P, Aziz A, Renault J-H, Nuzillard J-M, Clément C, Boitel-Conti M, Courot,, E. (2016) 13C NMR and LC-MS Profiling of Stilbenes from Elicited Grapevine Hairy Root Cultures. J. Nat. Prod. 79: 2846–2855.

15. Gruau C., Trotel-Aziz P., Verhagen B., Villaume S., Rabenoelina F., Clément C., Baillieul F., Aziz A. (2016) An assay to study Botrytis cinerea-infected grapevine leaves primed with Pseudomonas fluorescens. Bio-Protocol 6 : DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.1943

16. Aziz A., Verhagen B., Magnin-Robert M., Couderchet M., Clément C., Jeandet P., Trotel-Aziz P. (2016) Effectiveness of beneficial bacteria to promote systemic resistance of grapevine to gray mold as related to phytoalexin production in vineyards. Plant Soil 405:141–153.

17. Gruau C., Trotel-Aziz P, Villaume S, Rabenoelina F, Clément C, Baillieul F, Aziz A. (2015) Pseudomonas fluorescens PTA-CT2 triggers local and systemic immune response against Botrytis cinerea in grapevine. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 28: 1117–1129.

18. Hatmi S., Gruau C., Trotel-Aziz P., Villaume S., Rabenoelina F., Baillieul F., Clément C., Ferchichi A., Aziz A. (2015) Drought stress tolerance in grapevine involves activation of polyamine oxidation contributing to improved immune response and low susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea. J. Exp. Bot. 66: 775-787.

Other publications, book chapters and editions during the last 5 years

1. Höfte M., Aziz A., Ezra D., Frenkel O. (2021) Editing a Research Topic in “Frontiers in Agronomy”: Disease and Pest Management in Viticulture. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/18398/disease-and-pest-management-in-viticulture

2. Aziz A., Perazzolli M., Cantu D., Zyprian E-M., Gramaje D. (2019) Editing a Research Topic in “Frontiers in Plant Sciences”: Recent Advances on Grapevine-Microbe Interactions: From Signal Perception to Resistance Response. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/8517/recent-advances-on-grapevine-microbe-interactions-from-signal-perception-to-resistance-response.

3. Aziz A., Gruau C., Verhagen B., Villaume S, Rabenoelina F, Clément C, Baillieul F, Trotel-Aziz P (2016). Unravelling induced immune response in grapevine by beneficial bacteria and efficacy of ISR against Botrytis cinerea in both controlled and vineyard conditions. Biological and integrated control of plant pathogens, IOBC-WPRS Bulletin Vol. 117, p. 17

4. Aziz A., Verhagen B., Villaume S., Höfte M., Baillieul F., Clément C., Trotel-Aziz P. (2016) Beneficial Bacteria Prime Local and Systemic Immunity against Botrytis cinerea in Grapevine. In Biocontrol of Major Grapevine Diseases: Leading Research. S. Compant & F. Mathieu (eds) CABI ISBN-13: 978-1780647128.

5. Jeandet P., Hébrard C., Deville MA., Cordelier S., Dorey S., Aziz A., Crouzet J. (2015). Deciphering the role of phytoalexins in plant-microorganism interactions and human health. In: Phytoalexins: Current Progress and Future Prospects, P. Jeandet (ed), MDPI, Bale et Pékin, pp. 6-29.

International conferences / symposia, conferences guests during the last 5 years

1. Mijailovic N., Nesler A., Perazzolli M., Aït Barka E., Aziz A. (2021) Versatility of Rare Sugar Sweeteners in crop protection. International Webinar on Food, Food Science & Food Chemistry" Online, June 04-05, 2021.

2. Courot E., Crouzet J., Aziz A., Borie N., Hubert J., Renault J-H., Tarpin M., Martiny L., Lambert C. (2021) Grapevine Cell Cultures for the Bioproduction of Bioactive Resveratrol and Derivatives: Some Fundamental and Applied Considerations. 10th Annual and 1st Virtual ACMAP Conference. June 24-25, 2021.

3. Aziz A. (2020) Coordination of the first international webinar on Biocontrol and Biostimulation in Agriculture: fundamental to applied researches. University of Reims, France.

4. Trotel-Aziz P., Abou-Mansour E., Couteaux B., Clément C., Aziz A., Fontaine F. (2019) Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 counteracts Botryosphaeria dieback in grapevine, triggering immune response and detoxifications of fungal phytotoxins. IOBC workshop, Vila Real (Portugal).

5. Aziz A. (2018) ISR in grapevine: from plant-beneficial microbe interactions to systemic immunity. Interfuture Workshop “From microbial interactions to new-concept biopesticides and biofertilizers”, Reims (France).

6. Aziz A. (2018) Beneficial bacteria-induced grapevine immunity against gray mold and downy mildew diseases in a changing environment. Workshop ‘’Toward a Sustainable Viticulture in Cyprus and Europe‘’ 3 May, Limassol (Chypre).

7. Ele Ekouna JP., Choque E., Boitel-Conti M., Aziz A., Courot E, Clément C. (2018). Production de stilbènes par des racines transformées de Vitis vinifera et estimation de leur capacité antioxydante, 9èmes Rencontres Méta SP, 11-12 octobre, Amiens.

8. Aziz A., Sanchez L., Trotel-Aziz P., Fontaine F., Aït Barka E., Clément C. (2017) Activation de l’immunité par des bactéries bénéfiques et résistance de la vigne aux agents pathogènes. PhytoMic Network, Rennes (France).

9. Trotel-Aziz P., Abou-Mansour E., Courteaux B., Rabenoelina F., Guise J-F., Clément C., Aziz A., Fontaine F. (2017) Secondary metabolites produced by Neofusicoccum parvum differentially contribute to the trunk disease expression in grapevine. 10th Intl. Workshop on Grapevine Trunk Diseases, 4-7 July, Reims (France).

10. Lakkis S., Trotel-Aziz P., Rabenoelina F., Clément C., Aziz A. (2017) Deciphering mechanisms underlying induced systemic resistance in grapevine by beneficial bacteria against Plasmopara viticola and Botrytis cinerea. 1st International Symposium on Plant Bioprotection Sciences and Technologies, 27-30 Juin, Reims (France).

11. Tisserant LP., Hébrard C., Guihard G., Clément C., Boitel-Conti M., Aziz A. et al. (2017) Caractérisation du mode d'excrétion du resvératrol par des suspensions cellulaires de vigne. Phytoday, Reims (France).

12. Aziz A., Gruau C., Verhagen B., Villaume S, Rabenoelina F, Clément C, Baillieul F, Trotel-Aziz P (2016) Unravelling induced immune response in grapevine by beneficial bacteria and efficacy of ISR against Botrytis cinerea in both controlled and vineyard conditions. XIV Meeting of the Working Group Biological control of fungal and bacterial plant pathogens Biocontrol and Microbial Ecology (IOBC), September 12 – 15 juin, Berlin (Allemagne).

13. Guihard G., Tisserant L-P., Crouzet J., Aziz A., Jeandet P., Clément C., Courot E. (2016) Bioproduction du resvératrol et de ses dérivés par culture cellulaire de vigne. PhytoDay, 24 Juin, Nancy (France).

14. Tisserant L-P., Lequart M., Hubert J., Pilard S., Aziz A., Clément C., Boitel-Conti M., Courot E. (2016) Bioproduction de molécules végétales d’intérêt : utilisation de racines transformées de vigne pour l’étude des stilbènes en conditions axéniques. Journées Jeunes Chercheurs Condorcet, 19-20 Janvier, Reims (France).

15. Trotel-Aziz P., Aziz A., Courteaux B., Magnin-Robert M., Guise J-F., Clément C., Fontaine F., Abou-Mansour E. (2015) Processus de détoxication mis en place par Vitis vinifera contre les phytotoxines fongiques d’origine phénoliques, Rencontre CASDAR V12301, 17 – 18 novembre, Colmar (France).

16. Jeandet P., Tisserant L-P., Aziz A., Hubert J., Clément C., Boitel-Conti M., Courot E. (2017) Production of Phytostilbenes of Therapeutic Interest by Grapevine Cell Systems. III International Symposium on Wine and Health, 1-3 juin, Rio Grande do Sul (Brésill).

Other activities

Regular reviewer of scientific papers for refereed journals: J. Exp. Bot., J. Plant Physiol., New Phytol., Eur. J. plant Pathol.y, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact., Planta, Environ. Exp. Bot., Physiol. Plant., Gene, J. Agri. Food Chem., Plant Physiol. Biochem., Plant Biol., Plant Pathol., Phytoapthology, BioControl, Mol. Plant Pathol., Appl Microb. Biotech…