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Having obtained a doctorate in sciences to the University of Montpellier, Benoit Pujol made a post-doctorate in the Oxford University (United Kingdom) before becoming a CNRS Researcher as a member of the laboratory Evolution and Biological Diversity of Toulouse in 2009.

Focusing on non-genetic heredity

Adapting or to dying, here is the choice that face species that cannot avoid ever more demanding environmental requirements. To date, the genetic diversity is considered as the main, if not the only, source of adaptation. Nevertheless, when adaptative changes are observed in nature, only a third of these changes can be explained by genetic variation. The mainstream idea is that genetic diversity alone allows the evolution by supplying opportunities of heritable variation. However, today, this reasoning is not tenable any more. Non-genetic heredity (social and environmental inheritance, epigenetic heredity, etc.) now emerges as an obvious fact supported by accruing numbers of scientific facts. But what is its role in nature? Does it allow adaptation to environmental requirements?

What is ANGI ?

ANGI proposes an original and ambitious research program to revisit our vision of heredity and its role in adaptation. Based on the monitoring of wild plant population of the common snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) it will provide invaluable information on heredity, natural selection and adaptation in natural environments. This project aims at revealing whether non-genetic inheritance constitutes a real source of adaptive potential for wild plants.