Subject
Our laboratory studies the molecular bases of cell size regulation in plant cells. 
A better understanding of the impact of root cell development and nutrient uptake, 
as well as anchoring of roots in the soil when nutrients are one of the most important 
limiting factors for improving seed and fruit productivity.
All of our research seeks to answer the following questions:
How are CEP-PRX coordinated to manage the assembly and disassembly of EXTs during polar growth? 
Characterization of Cysteine-EndoPeptidases (CEPs) and apoplastic type III peroxidases (PRXs) that impact on the assembly / 
disassembly of the Extensin network (EXT) glycosylated cells of the cell wall and in the general structure of the cell wall in growing root hair.
How are the RALFs-RES-downstream components of the signaling cascades linked to extracellular signals such as nutrients / water and temperature? 
Functions of RALF (Rapid Alkalinization Factor) peptides that control the signaling pathway that involves FERONIA kinase-like receptors (FER) during root hair growth.
How are intracellular Ca2 + reservoirs coordinated to contribute to the cytoplasmic Ca + 2 gradient in these growing polar cells? 
Functions of Ca +2-ATPases ACA and ECA in the polar growth of root hair and pollen tube.
 |How are temperature and nutrient deficiency conditions decoded as an extracellular stimulus in a defined transcriptional network in these individual plant cells? 
Identify the transcriptional network controlled by low-temperature activated transcription factors in root hair cells using RNA-seq and CHIP-seq approaches.

Approach
In order to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate how plant cells expand, we use a very wide range of experimental approaches: 
1. Genetics and Molecular Biology Techniques. Isolation of single and multiple mutants (T-DNA and CRISPR-CAS lines, RNAi and amiRNA), inducible and over-expressing lines. Analysis of co-expressed genes. Global characterization of the plant genome by techniques of RNA-seq, CHIP-seq, etc.
2. Cell Biology Methods. Confocal microscopy for proteins with fluorescent tags at the tissue and individual cell level. Protein reporters. Fluorescent biocensors (Yellow Cameleon YC3.6 and Hyper, roGFP) to measure ROS and Ca + 2 in real time. Protein-protein interaction techniques (e.g. FRET and BiFC). Co-location methods.
3. Biochemical Methods. Pharmacological inhibition of enzymes. Small molecule isolation. Glycobiology of plant cells. Enzymatic activity.

Advances
In recent years we have identified several molecular mechanisms by which the root hairs of the roots are capable of integrating signals from the environment in the soil such as low temperatures, changes in the level of nutrients, etc. and internal signals such as hormones (e.g. Auxins). Both types of signals then define whether the roots, and in particular the root hairs, grow or stop growing. This could have enormous biotechnological applications in the future in plants of agronomic interest.