LABORATORY
The lab´s research is characterized by an open, interdisciplinar experimental approach, is focused on molecular plant-pathogen interactions, and can be broadly described by three main lines of work:
(1) Bacterial regulation, with particular regard to phenotypic heterogeneity of virulence determinants such as the Type III Secretion System (T3SS) or the flagellum, and the epigenetic mechanisms behind such regulation
(2) Molecular mechanisms of plant defense suppression (ETI, PTI, SAR) by bacterial T3SS-secreted effectors, through interference with their eukaryotic targets, including the interplay among co-secreted effector networks;
(3) Regulation by gene silencing of a network of TIR-NBS-LRR in Arabidopsis.
While our research focuses mainly around Pseudomonas syringae and its interaction with Arabidopsis, bean and tomato plants, we have also carried out collaborative research on viral interference of plant SUMOylation, and on genomic tools for olive breeding.
The lab has many national and international collaborations, an active publication record, and is an excellent environment for postdocs, PhD candidates, and undergraduate students.