PFG – Plant Functional Genomics

Rui Malhó

The Plant Functional Genomics Group aims to pursue an integrated, systematic view on the physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for plant morphogenetic traits – Phenomics – aiming its understanding and the translation of fundamental science to applications (“lab-to-field” pipeline).

PFG is organized in four research teams, each headed by a PI. Two of these teams are based at FCUL, one at Univ Minho (UM) and one at UTAD. Each team explores inter-dependent scientific aims within the group’s overall research objectives, contributing towards the development of a coherent research program in the area of plant biology and biotechnology.

The research developed by the four teams can be clustered in four main topics to which all teams contribute: (1) Cell Signalling & Trafficking, (2) Molecular Cell Physiology, (3) Stress responses, (4) Green biotechnology.

Specific lines of interest are: (a) mechanisms of plant fertilization, (b) control of fruit ripening, (c) plant-pathogen and plant-ectomycorrizha interaction, (d) responses to organic and inorganic pollutants, (e) drought stress responses and (f) protein sorting and secretion.

PFG members are mainly associated with BioISI thematic line of Biotechnology but cooperative interactions for integrative research within the thematic lines of Biomedicine, Biophysics and Bioinformatics are part of the group’s aims and activities.

Team

PFG Group Members: 45

Post Docs: 8

PhD Students: 11

Academic staff: 17

Recent Publications

Development of high-throughput real-time PCR assays for the Colletotrichum acutatum detection on infected olive fruits and olive oils

Azevedo-Nogueira F, Gomes S, Carvalho T, Martins-Lopes P (2020) Food Chemistry 2020, 317, 126417.

Comparative Transcriptomic Response of Two Pinus Species to Infection with the Pine Wood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Gaspar D, Trindade C, Usié A, Meireles b, Fortes AM, Guimarães JB, Simões F, Costa RL, Ramos AM (2020) Forests 2020, 11(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11020204.