Jean-Claude CaissardProfessor

Jean-Claude Caissard has a background in plant cell biology. In 1993, he joined the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Saint-Étienne. There, he and his colleagues helped establish the Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology applied to aromatic and medicinal plants (LBVpam). He is now a university professor in charge of the Life Sciences Master's degree

When the laboratory was first established, he worked on developing techniques for the genetic modification of aromatic plants. This work quickly led him to study the biosynthetic pathways of certain volatile compounds found in essential oils. At the time, this type of research was highly innovative. He contributed to numerous studies that appeared on the covers of PNAS, Science, Genetics, and Nature Genetics. Today, he focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of essential oil secretion, as well as the functional characterization of secretory cells in aromatic plants.

He has also played a major role in popularizing his field through various media outlets (France TV, France Culture, *La Recherche*, *Pour la Science*, etc.). He founded an educational tour on chemical ecology at the Saint-Galmier Rose Garden and unveiled a rose dedicated to the anniversary of the UJM, the ‘Université de Saint-Étienne’ rose, created by the Roseraie Croix.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7938-3101

Personal website: https://sites.google.com/view/jccaissard/homepage