On December 11, 2025, Pierre Otuszewski successfully defended his PhD thesis at the CCHB in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
Entitled “Characterization of the molecular bases of cold-induced sweetening in potato (Solanum tuberosum)”, this PhD work addresses a major issue for the potato sector: Cold-Induced Sweetening (CIS), a process that strongly affects tuber quality during low-temperature storage.
Using an integrative multi-omics approach, combining metabolomics and proteomics, Pierre Otuszewski’s research identified molecular signatures associated with tolerance or sensitivity to CIS, as well as early biomarkers potentially predictive of varietal responses to cold storage. These results provide important insights into the fundamental regulation of starch metabolism and open promising perspectives for both agronomic improvement and industrial applications.
This PhD thesis was co-funded by the “Hauts-de-France” region and carried out under the co-supervision of Ahmed Mazzah and Christophe D’Hulst, with Nicolas Szydlowski and Fabrice Bray as co-advisors, within the UGSF (Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle) and MSAP units, and as part of the SMRE Doctoral School (Sciences de la Matière, du Rayonnement et de l’Environnement) at the University of Lille.
All supervisors and colleagues warmly congratulate Pierre Otuszewski on the quality of his work and wish him every success in his future scientific and professional career.
