CA24116 - Multidisciplinary consortium to accelerate plant cell wall knowledge (PlantWallK)

The plant cell wall was one of the first biological objects observed under the microscope in the 17th century. While the knowledge of this complex and dynamic structure has come a long way, current gaps in the understanding prevent people from achieving the full potential of this important resource in agriculture, food, feed, bioenergy, and material science. This Action aims to bring together scientists from distant disciplines to overcome barriers in the understanding of the complex nature of cell walls. More than ever, holistic and collaborative approaches are required to gain a deeper knowledge of cell wall composition, structure, biomechanics, and orchestration with other cellular activities. Multidisciplinary cooperation can help to identify and overcome current research bottlenecks, as well as improve research methods in cell wall visualization, analysis, computation and modelling. The aim of this Action is to propose strategies to address gaps in the knowledge, start building data and knowledge-based infrastructure on the topic, and enhance multidisciplinary research efforts through effective networking and collaboration. Plant cell wall research will be defragmented through cooperation, mobility, and the formation of a common language to form a modern research community. This Action will provide COST Member States with a competitive advantage, helping the EU to achieve the objectives set out in the Green Deal and European Research Area.