Faculty Spotlight: Marc Libault

Marc Libault
Meet Marc Libault, associate professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and member of the Center for Plant Science Innovation.
August 4, 2020

About Marc Libault

I was born and raised in Paris, France. I am the father of 12, 10 and 8 year-old boys. I held bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in plant cellular and molecular biology from the University of Paris VII and XII. I have always been interested in biology and, later, developed a strong interest in understanding the molecular complexity of plants as well as their capability to adapt to their environment. My expertise falls in molecular and cellular plant biology and in-plant root single cell and cell-type molecular approaches.

What is your position at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?

I am an associate professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and a member of the Center for Plant Science Innovation. I joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln two years ago. My research focuses on the molecular characterization of the response of plants to environmental stresses. To reach this objective and precisely understand how plants (re)organize their genomic information to adapt to stresses, my laboratory uses very innovative technologies to precisely understand how each cell contributes to the overall response of the plant to the stress and how each cell utilizes their DNA to develop their response. To facilitate access to these technologies to scientists, I recently developed the single cell genomic core facility at UNL (https://libaultlab.unl.edu/single-cell-genomic-core-facility). We currently collaborate with researchers from UNL and various US institutions and researchers from North America and Europe.

What drew you to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a strong emphasis on plant biology and, more specifically, on crop science. My current research fits well the overall mission of IANR in enhancing food production and sustainable agriculture through the development and use of innovative tools in research and their transfer in the classroom.

What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I have the opportunity to develop and teach a new lab course to undergraduate and graduate students where I introduce them to fundamental molecular methods in plant biology. This is a great opportunity to teach our students how to perform research and face some of the challenges faced by researchers when conducting their work. I also provide opportunities to the students to perform research in my lab.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement was when my first doctorate student got a postdoctoral associate position in Brookhaven National Laboratory. She published six research manuscripts including five as a first author. I believe that her success was built based on her hard work and maturity as demonstrated by her positive attitude especially when facing difficulties. I am proud to have been her mentor and helped her develop the skills and knowledge that make her the great scientist she is. 

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I enjoy watching old television shows. I especially like watching “Columbo”. Following how Peter Falk was able to look into details to spot discrepancies and untangle a case is very entertaining to me. Sometime, the analysis of new biological data to better understand how a cell and a plant adapt and grow requires some deep investigations and a closer look at the data. This is the most exciting aspect of research to me.

What is your life like outside of work? 

My life outside of work is very much family driven. With three young boys, it is always busy and highly active. I like cooking. Recently, I started introducing the kids to French style cuisine but with an American touch. It’s a lot of fun to see them tasting and commenting on their dishes. Recently, before the pandemic, I started practicing judo again, with the kids, 25 years after my last tournament! 

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