Rodrigo Gutierrez

Biography

My main interest is to use systems biology approaches to understand mechanisms to regulate gene expression in response to nitrogen nutrients in plants using A. thaliana as a model system. I pioneered the combined use of classical experimental biology, functional genomics and integrative bioinformatics approaches to unravel molecular mechanisms of plant form and function. By iteratively combining bioinformatics tools with functional genomics and classical molecular genetics approaches my group discovered important molecular mechanisms plants utilize to respond to changes in nitrogen (N) nutrient availability using Arabidopsis as a model system. In addition, this holistic approach allowed connecting processes that have been classically studied independently (e.g. plant nutrition and circadian rhythms, plant nutrition and hormone signalling, plant nutrition and root development). We have a vibrant and productive plant systems biology research program in Chile to understand mechanisms and regulatory network functions in the plant response to N nutrient/metabolites. In the past decade, we have also explored mechanisms of adaptation of wild plant species in the Atacama Desert. Understanding these processes is essential for developing strategies that intervene in molecular networks for biotechnological purposes such as improving N use efficiency in plants or facing climate change, which are important issues for health, agriculture and food security.