LABORATORIO DE METABOLOMICA Y FISIOLOGIA MOLECULAR

AXEL TIESSEN FAVIER
Cinvestav Researcher  3B. Ph. D.  Heidelberg University, Germany. (2003)
Categoría en el SNI: Nivel I
atiessen@ira.cinvestav.mx
 

 Education & training

1995    Abitur. Frankenlandschulheim Schloss Gaibach. Germany
2000    Biology Diplom, Heidelberg University, Germany.
2003    Dr. rer. nat., Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Golm, Germany.
2005    Postdoctorate, CIMMYT, México.
2006     Research group leader, Cinvestav, México.

Summary

Lab. Metabolomics and Molecular Physiology

Dr. Axel Tiessen
Plants have the ability to use light energy to convert inorganic carbon dioxide to organic compounds which are used for storage and growth. Starch, sucrose and cellulose are major storage products with many important functions in plants and great economical relevance for human nutrition and as a renewable feedstock for industrial products (bio-refinery). An important aim of my research is to understand major signals that regulate storage metabolism in plants in response to environmental factors and physiological inputs. To achieve this, we try to combine fieldwork with labwork. We are using a combination of tools from the areas of analytical biochemistry, molecular biology, plant physiology and breeding. We try to do a type of research that can have an impact on the field and can be applied. We are implementing new tools for genetic improvement for crops such as maize. We use both, systems biology and hypothesis driven approaches and put a strong focus on an integrated analysis of plant metabolism at a cellular and subcellular level.

Research interests:

Sucrose and starch metabolism. Vegetal physiology and metabolomics. Genetic improvement of maize (Vitamaíz). Drought tolerance and nutritional quality. Functional genomics, biostatistics and bioinformatics.

International Collaborators

Dr. Peter Geigenberger. Instituto Max Planck  Alemania
Dr. Mark Stitt. Instituto Max Planck  Alemania
Dr. Alisdair Fernie. Instituto Max Planck  Alemania
Dr. Martin Steup. Universidad de Potsdam, Alemania
Dr. Gerhard Ritte. Universidad de Potsdam, Alemania
Dr. Alison Smith. John Innes Center, Norwich, UK
Dr. Kay Denyer. John Innes Center, Norwich, UK
Dr. Nigel Halford. Rothhamsted, UK
Dr. Sam Zeeman. ETH Switzerland
Dr. Hardy Rolletschek. IPK Gartersleben, Germany
Dra. Natalia Palacios. CIMMYT, México
Dr. Jean-Marcel Ribaut. CIMMYT, México