Dr. Lina Gallego-Giraldo

Plant Biology Division
Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
2510 Sam Noble Parkway
Ardmore, OK 73401
Phone: (580) 224-6113
Email: lmgiraldo@noble.org 

Current position: Postdoctoral fellow, Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Advisor: Dr. Richard Dixon  

Research Interest: My research focuses on studying the effects of lignin manipulation on alfalfa development. Characterization of phenotype and transcriptional gene analysis of lignin down regulated transgenic alfalfa plants.  

Education:

Ph.D.  at the University Polytechnic of Valencia, Spain, 2008.
Dissertation: “Effect of overexpression and silencing of several gibberellins metabolism genes on tobacco development”.
Advisor:  Dr. Isabel Lopez-Diaz. 

Master in Biotechnology emphasis in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University Polytechnic of Valencia, Spain, 2005. 

B. Sc. Degree in Agronomy  at the University National of Colombia, Bogotá. D.C. 2001. 

Professional experience:

Pre-doctoral Researcher in Molecular Biology & Physiology (2004-2008)
Institution: Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Institute (IBMCP) www.ibmcp.upv.es University Polytechnic of Valencia – CSIC, Valencia – Spain.
Project Title: Plant Height and Development Regulation by Gibberellins.  
Sponsor: Ministry of Education and Science – Spain.
Supervisor: Dr. Isabel López-Díaz and Dr. José Luis García-Martínez 

Researcher in post-harvests physiology of exotic fruits (2001-2003)
Institution: Centre of Amazonian Researches. SINCHI, Bogotá - Colombia
Project Title: Post-harvest physiology in exotic fruits. Cool storage in modified atmosphere of arazá (Eugenia stipitata Mc Vaugh) fruit.
Sponsor: Colsciences. 
Supervisor: Dr. María Soledad Hernández

Publications:

Gibberellin homeostasis in tobacco is regulated by gibberellin metabolism genes with different gibberellin sensitivity. (2008). Plant Cell Physiol. 49(5):679-90.

Flowering in tobacco needs gibberellins but is not promoted by the levels of active GA₁ and GA₄ in the apical shoot. (2007). Plant Cell Physiol. 48(4): 615-625.

Colour development of arazá fruit as related to modified atmosphere packaging. (2003). Acta Horticulturae 628: 343-350.

Articles in process:

Inhibition of auxin transport from the ovary and from the apical shoot induces parthenocarpic fruit-set in Tomato mediated by gibberellins. (2008). Plant Physiol. Envoy.

Effect of multiple GA 2-oxidases silencing in tobacco development. (2008). Plant Physiol. Envoy.
 

Personal statement of professional skills: 

Molecular Biology Techniques: Basic practises of isolation of nucleic acids (plasmid and genomic DNA, total and polyA⁺ RNA), DNA cloning and modification, amplification of DNA by PCR, southern and northern blots, PCR screening, gene expression analysis by RT–PCR and Real-Time qRT–PCR. Construction of binary vector and manipulation of RNAi (RNA interference) for post–transcriptional gene silencing, detection of small RNAi (siRNA) by polyacrylamide gel denaturation, in vitro transcription of RNA and labelling of single nucleic acid chain. 

Hormones analysis:  Gibberellins and auxin quantification, purification and preparation of hormone extracts for GC-MS and in vivo and in vitro hormone metabolism. 

Protein assays: Heterologous expression of recombinant plant proteins in E.coli system and in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 

Plant transformation: Transitory and the stable Agrobacterium–mediated transformation in tobacco and tomato. 

Microscopy techniques:  Histology studies of cells and reproductive tissues using paraffin fixed cuts, light and confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.