Science, plants, my daughter, giving back to society, build a better future, equality, inclusion and diversity
Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso
y.benitez-alfonso@leeds.ac.uk
University of Leeds
Contact Information
Email Address
Y.Benitez-Alfonso@leeds.ac.ukBiography
Short Bio:
Dr. Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso is Professor in Interdisciplinary Plant Sciences at the University of Leeds (UK). She was born in Cuba and graduated in Chemistry at the University of Cordoba, Spain. Yoselin did her PhD in plant biochemistry and molecular biology followed by postdoctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York (USA) and at the John Innes Centre (Norwich, UK). In 2017, she was appointed Lecturer at the University of Leeds, where she secured multiple funding including a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. Yoselin research group focuses on cell walls properties surrounding plant intercellular channels (named plasmodesmata) with the goal to unlock knowledge for the development of new strategies for crop improvement and biomaterial development. Yoselin’s interdisciplinary research is supported by several networks and virtual centers including the NSF- funded ‘Plant Cell Atlas network’, the Astbury Centre for Structural Biology and the Bragg Centre for Material Research. She advocates for equity, diversity and inclusion and last year, co-founded the Black in Plant Science Network (https://blackinplantscience.org/) dedicated to connect, celebrate and cultivate the next generation of plant scientists in UK. Yoselin was promoted to full Professor last year, becoming the 66th Black Female Professor in the UK. She received the ‘Education and Academic Leader of the Year’ Forward Ladies award and the UKRI Impact Award for ‘Advancing Research Culture’.
For more details on Yoselin’s research and the team, visit https://benitezalfonsolab.leeds.ac.uk/ or https://astbury.leeds.ac.uk/people/yoselin-benitez-alfonso/. You can contact Yoselin at Y.Benitez-Alfonso@leeds.ac.uk or in social media at Twitter/X @YoselinBenAlf and LinkedIn.
Research
Project Title
PDWallMech: Harnessing PlasmoDesma Wall Mechanics for plant biotech and biomaterialsProject Summary
As basic sources of food, clean air and raw materials, research in plants is critical to survive the threats posed by climate change and a growing population on global food security and sustainable living. All multicellular organisms rely on intercellular communication to coordinate growth and responses to physiological and environmental cues. Intercellular communication in plants is physically restricted by the cell wall. Our research focuses on investigating the properties and regulation of cell wall-membranous channels (named plasmodesmata) that connect plant cells and facilitate the symplastic (cytoplasm-to-cytoplasm) transport of proteins, RNAs, viruses, hormones and other signalling molecules. Investigating the molecular composition and physical properties of plasmodesmata is crucial to understand the signalling pathways underpinning plant development and adaptation to the environment. Knowledge on these intriguing structures can be applied in plant biotechnology but can also be used in the development of new sustainable materials, in food science and in healthcare.
Current major projects
Regulation of symplastic intercellular communication in plant development
Learning from cell wall micro-domains for the design of novel biotechnological approaches for crop improvement and of new biomaterials
Exploring beta-1,3 glucans properties as cellulose modifiers, activators of the immune response and in diagnostics of fungal infections.
Plasmodesmata signalling pathways in the context of legume symbiosis and nitrogen fixation