Ikram Blilou

Ikram Blilou is a Moroccan biologist who is a professor of plant sciences at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Her research investigates how plants develop resistance to extreme conditions of drought and salinity.

Early life and education
Blilou was born in Morocco. She had originally intended to study medicine, but switched to plant sciences after being asked to dissect a mouse. She studied biology at the Abdelmalek Essaâdi University. She completed her doctoral research at the University of Granada, where she investigated the defensive response of plants to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis.

Research and career
Blilou is interested in how plants adapt to extreme environments. In particular, she looks at how plants develop resilience to global challenges, including drought and desertification. She started her research career at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, where she was appointed Professor and Chair of Plant Sciences. Her research focuses on communication between plant cells, which involves studying the networks that underpin protein movement and protein–protein interactions. She has investigated the molecular and physiological response of plants to the environmental conditions found in Saudi Arabia.

Blilou has proposed that desert plants can be used to inform sustainable reforestation and desert farming projects. She was awarded an Abu Dhabi Date Palm award in 2020.