Curriculum

She took a degree in Biology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (1984) and a doctor’s degree in 1989. Doctoral thesis: 'Relaciones taxonómicas y estudio genético de poblaciones de maíz de Galicia” directed by Amando Ordás Pérez.

After her postdoctoral stays at the Agricultural University of Wageningen (Holland), she joined in 1991 as a scientist of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) to the Galician Biological Mission (MBG, Pontevedra) within the team of maize genetics.

Nowadays, she is a research Professor of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research at the Galician Biological Mission, where she filled the offices of director from 2002 to 2011 and deputy director from 1994 to 2002.

Her main research lines focus on genetic improvement and maize phytogenetic resources, mainly on the resistance to biotic factors. She directs research studies on blight resistant maize and the search for resistant genes and the characterization of maize response to the blight attack from the genetic, biochemical and structural point of view. She collaborates in the research about maize resistance to fungal diseases and pollution with micotoxins and the use of maize for special uses like human food and bioenergy.

She has participated in many national and autonomical R & D projects, leading those related to genetic improvement of blight resistant maize (AGL2009-09611 project). She also participated in the following projects: “From diversity to energy: integration of advanced mapping and phenotyping methods to identify key alleles for building maize energy ideotypes”, ''Aplicación de la fortificación de la pared celular en la mejora de la resistencia del maíz a plagas y enfermedades", “Utilización de los residuos de maíz para la producción de bioetanol” and " Conservación y caracterización de las colecciones españolas de maíz".

She is the author of over a hundred original research works about phytogenetic resources, genetic improvement of maize and blight resistant maize. She has also participated in articles and chapters for books.

She has directed seven doctoral theses, five of which focus on several aspects of blight resistant maize and the others focus on the adaptation of sweet corn.

She has participated in different contracts with companies and carried out several selection programmes to get new corn varieties with best resistance or tolerance to blights and collaborates in the maintenance of the maize germplasm collection of the MBG.

Her teaching activity focuses on the participation in doctorate courses and master degrees at the Universities of Vigo and Lleida.