LAI - SOPHYA

The Chicory for One Health (Chic41H) team from UMR 1158 BioEcoAgro, in partnership with the company Florimond Desprez, has received financial and institutional support from the University of Lille for the creation of an International Associated Laboratory entitled “Soil Microbiome and Agricultural Plant Physiology” (LAI SOPHYA). This project aims to strengthen the partnership with the BioActive Research Group of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Romania, which specializes in the study of soil microorganisms and bioinformatics.

SOPHYA is positioned as an innovative research platform, led by Dr. Anca Lucau (University of Lille) and Prof. Marius Stefan (University of Iași), dedicated to exploring soil–microbiome–plant interactions. The program aims to decipher the diversity, dynamics, and functions of soil microbiomes, in direct connection with plant physiology, agronomic performance, and the quality of agricultural production. Positioned at the heart of current challenges, SOPHYA develops integrated approaches in biocontrol, agroecology, and sustainable innovation, with a systemic vision of agroecosystems.

Built on a long-standing and structuring scientific collaboration, this initiative seeks to strengthen the international partnership through researcher exchanges, mobility programs, and the development of high-impact collaborative projects.

https://lai-sophya.uaic.ro/