Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ines Yacoubi, Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory; Biotechnology Center of Sfax, Tunisia
Dr. Ines Yacoubi is an Associate Professor at the Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, Tunisia, specializing in biotechnology and plant improvement. Her work focuses on improving durum wheat varieties for abiotic stress tolerance, particularly drought and salinity. With a distinguished academic career, Dr. Yacoubi has made significant contributions to the molecular breeding and characterization of Tunisian durum wheat landraces. Her research aims to enhance wheat’s resilience to environmental stress while maintaining high-quality attributes for pasta and couscous production. In addition to her academic pursuits, she actively engages with agricultural sectors in Tunisia, fostering collaborations with local stakeholders to improve wheat breeding programs. Dr. Yacoubi’s expertise is recognized internationally, and she has contributed to various global research initiatives and conferences, cementing her role as a leader in the field of wheat biotechnology and breeding.
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Suitability for Award:
Dr. Ines Yacoubi is a highly qualified and accomplished candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award. Her academic and professional achievements, combined with her significant contributions to plant biotechnology and wheat improvement, position her as an outstanding leader in her field.
🎓Education :
Dr. Ines Yacoubi holds a distinguished academic background in biological engineering. She earned her PhD in 2009 from the National Engineering School, University of Sfax, Tunisia, with the highest honours. Her doctoral research focused on the molecular genetics of yeast cell death, specifically the P53 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Diplôme d’Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) in Biology Engineering from the University of Sfax, also with highest honours. The focus of her HDR thesis was on durum wheat in Tunisia, with an emphasis on genetic biodiversity and functional genomics related to abiotic stress tolerance. Dr. Yacoubi has also completed a DEA in Biology Engineering (1999) and holds a graduate engineering degree in the same field from the National Engineering School, University of Sfax. Her academic excellence is reflected in her impactful research and contributions to plant biotechnology.
🏢Experience :
Dr. Ines Yacoubi has an extensive career in plant biotechnology, with a focus on wheat improvement. Since October 2009, she has been an Associate Professor at the Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Lab, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, where she leads projects aimed at improving durum wheat tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Her research integrates molecular breeding and the use of molecular markers to identify and transfer genes associated with stress tolerance in wheat. In addition to her academic responsibilities, Dr. Yacoubi has been instrumental in developing the “CBS durum wheat collection,” a significant resource for wheat genetic research. This collection encompasses over 65 accessions, from landraces to advanced breeding lines, and serves as the foundation for national and international breeding programs. Dr. Yacoubi also engages with Tunisia’s agricultural sectors, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange to enhance wheat production and breeding efforts in the region.
🏅Awards and Honors :
Dr. Ines Yacoubi has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions for her research contributions. In September 2023, she was appointed to the Expert Working Group on Durum Wheat Genomics and Breeding as part of the Wheat Initiative. In 2016, Dr. Yacoubi was a Visiting Professor at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy, where she delivered lectures to PhD students on biodiversity, agriculture, and the environment. Her research excellence was further recognized in 2013 when she received the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Pan Arab Regional Fellowship for her work on Tunisian durum wheat. Additionally, Dr. Yacoubi earned a fellowship in 2010 from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), where she specialized in marker-assisted selection for disease resistance in barley. These accolades highlight her influential role in advancing agricultural and biotechnological research.
🔬Research Focus:
Dr. Ines Yacoubi’s research primarily focuses on the genetic improvement of durum wheat to enhance its tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Her work employs two main strategies: first, the identification of candidate genes for stress tolerance and their transfer into wheat through genetic transformation, and second, the utilization of the natural biodiversity found in Tunisian durum wheat landraces. She leads research aimed at characterizing and evaluating the genetic diversity of these landraces and their potential for future breeding programs. Dr. Yacoubi’s studies also examine the impact of breeding programs on wheat quality traits such as protein, starch, and phenolic content, as well as the allergenic properties of wheat, which are important for addressing health concerns like celiac disease. Her research combines molecular tools with field-based phenotyping to identify wheat varieties with superior stress tolerance and agronomic performance, ultimately contributing to the sustainability and productivity of wheat cultivation in Tunisia.
Publication Top Notes:
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Structural Disorder and Induced Folding within Two Cereal, ABA Stress, and Ripening (ASR) Proteins
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Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Landraces, Old, and Modern Tunisian Durum Wheat
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Human p53 Induces Cell Death and Downregulates Thioredoxin Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Bridging between Proline Structure, Functions, Metabolism, and Involvement in Organism Physiology
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Yeasts as a Tool for Heterologous Gene Expression