Marc Libault joined the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Agronomy and Horticulture July 1 as an associate professor and root biologist, located in the Beadle Center.
Libault’s expertise is in molecular and cellular plant biology and in plant root single cell and cell-type approaches. He is currently analyzing the molecular response of single cell-types isolated from different crop species including soybean and maize in response to biotic and abiotic stresses.
He said his interest in developing innovative and collaborative approaches to better understand crop root adaptation to their environment, logically brought him to Nebraska based on the scientific expertise of university faculty and the strong focus on agriculture in the state.
Libault came from the University of Oklahoma where he was as an assistant, and then, an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology.
He was born and raised in Paris, France, one mile from the Eiffel Tower and has always had an interest in understanding the molecular complexity of plants, as well as, their capability to adapt to their environment. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Paris 7 Denis Diderot University, France; a master’s degree from Paris 6 Pierre and Marie Curie University, France; and a doctorate from Paris Sud-Orsay University, France, in molecular and cellular plant physiology.
Outside of work, Libault said he enjoys spending time with his wife, Sandra, and their three sons, Alexandre, Quentin and Mathis. He also likes European history and politics, golf and running — even if he can’t compete with his older sons anymore.
