"The proposal presented here will allow the candidate to reintegrate, work on a cutting-edge scientific study and successfully develop his newly established independent research group.The project aims to investigate a key process in plant stress responses, namely how plants sense the oxygen availability and modify gene expression in response. Oxygen is a necessity for most forms of life. To be able to avoid the potentially life-threatening situation that arises upon reduced oxygen levels (hypoxia) most organisms have systems in place to measure intra-cellular oxygen availability. So far there is very limited knowledge on the primary hypoxia signalling pathway in plants. I will use state-of-the-art methods available for the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to decipher this signalling pathway by identifying new components, determining the primary gene expression responses and generating a comprehensive network description.Together, the project targets an important issue in plant biology, is of excellent scientific and technical quality and will take place in a highly appropriate and stimulating environment. Thus, it will at the same time strengthen the researcher’s career perspectives and the host lab’s and Europe's leading position in plant research. Furthermore, the research project will generate fundamental scientific knowledge that in the longer term may contribute to the improvement of crop performance upon submergence and soil water logging and thus enhance food security."