Dr. Elena Baena Gonzalez

Biography

Elena Baena-Gonzalez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, focusing her research on plant sciences, specifically studying how plants sense nutrient levels and adapt their physiology accordingly. Her lab investigates the SnRK1 signalling pathway, which plays a crucial role in stress tolerance and regulation of key developmental traits such as root architecture and flowering time. This pathway is activated under low energy levels, responding to abiotic stresses like water scarcity and extreme temperatures, which could negatively impact photosynthesis and plant growth. The Baena-Gonzalez Lab has identified various regulatory mechanisms of the SnRK1 kinase, including SUMOylation and gene expression modulation, particularly in response to stress signals and environmental changes. The lab aims to explore how energy signalling pathways are regulated and their implications on specific plant growth and development processes. Elena invites collaboration and discussions about these energy sensing systems and their influence on plant behavior.

Research Interests