About
I am researcher at the Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Argentina. During my PhD, I focused on studying rhizobia, a group of soil bacteria necessary for the biological nitrogen fixation in plants. Since early stages of my career, I have been particularly motivated by understanding the mechanisms involved in tolerance to acidic conditions and other stresses that bacteria encounter in the soil. After I earned my PhD, I moved to California, USA, where I worked as a research assistant at The Scripps Research Institute. I learned how Enterococcus faecalis, a human pathogen, uses the so-called Two Component Systems (TCS) to regulate host infection. I studied the mechanisms by which this bacterium is able to cross the barrier from a commensal to major hospital-acquired pathogen. After that, I came back to Argentina and started my own research, which is focused on studying the role of different TCS in Sinorhizobium meliloti in response to different stresses. In addition, I worked in the isolation and characterization of bacteria from polluted environments and studied their mobile genomes.
I have also collaborated with research groups from other countries, conducting research stays and postdoctoral training (Denmark, Germany and the United States).
Since 2008 have been Professor at the Department of Biological Science, FCE, La Plata National University.
Joined
January 2022