Training structure
Faculty of Science
Presentation
Plants are directly and indirectly the basis of our food chain. In their environment, plants are constantly associated with microorganisms that make up their microbiota. Some of these microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) seriously damage crops, while others improve their overall health (nutrition, development, or disease resistance). Therefore, one strategy for meeting the challenges of both production and animal and human food safety is to understand how plants react, adapt, and potentially benefit from the presence of microorganisms in their environment.
Objectives
Through a balanced combination of classroom instruction and practical training (10 months of laboratory internships spread across the M1 and M2 years), our goal is to train students to describe and understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant interactions with their biotic environment.
To achieve this, we will draw on the wealth of scientific expertise in this field within the Muse network (University of Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, INRAE, Montpellier Supagro).
Know-how and skills
Knowledge and understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationships between a plant and its biotic environment.
In addition, although focused on the study of biotic interactions, at the end of this course, students will also have acquired skills in key subject areas ranging from physiology to genetics, epigenetics, and plant breeding.
Skills in the use of current research tools will also be acquired (statistics, modeling, database management, etc.).
Program
The Plant-Microorganism Interactions (IPM) program comprises four semesters (120 ECTS credits) consisting of specific teaching units (UE) and others shared with the three other Plant programs (BiPa, BPT, MEV). The list and details of the content of each of the master's teaching units can be found on the Faculty of Science website.
The first semesters of the M1 and M2 are devoted to academic teaching. The second semesters are mainly dedicated to internships (in laboratories or companies) in the thematic fields of the program and in line with the student's professional project. It should be noted that all the practical work from the disciplinary teaching units in semester 1 are grouped together in a dedicated teaching unit at the very beginning of semester 2.
Study or internship mobility (ERASMUS) for one or two semesters is greatly facilitated by the extensive network of partnerships between the University of Montpellier and European universities.
Biostatistics with R
5 creditsElements of plant pathology
3 creditsPlant Cellular and Molecular Biology
3 creditsPlant development
5 creditsPlant-Microorganism Interactions
5 creditsFundamentals of ecophysiology
2 creditsPlant molecular genetics
5 creditsPlant nutrition
2 credits
Bioinformatics: Data and Databases
2 creditsBibliographic summary
2 creditsOPTION 1
3 creditsChoose one of two options:
Gene Networks—Modeling
3 creditsImprovement of tropical and Mediterranean plants
3 credits
4-month internship
15 creditsExperimental approaches to plant biology
5 creditsProject management
3 credits
Admission
Admission requirements
Applications can be submitted on the following platforms:
- French and European students: follow the "Mon Master" procedure on the website: https://www.monmaster.gouv.fr/