Antonio Molina Elected Director of Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP)

He will lead the Directorate of CBGP (UPM-INIA) for the next four years.

The CBGP Council, assembly representing researchers and employees of the Center, has elected Antonio Molina as CBGP Director for the next four years.

Antonio Molina got his degree in Biological Sciences at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and his PhD in Biological Sciences at the Universidad Politécnica de (UPM), where he is currently Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Department of Biotechnology-Plant Biology.

Antonio Molina has served as Director of the Departments of Biotechnology and Biotechnology-Plant Biology of the UPM, and as Executive Director of CBGP during the initial four years of this Research Center. He is the Coordinator of the UPM PhD Program in Biotechnology and Genetic Resources of Plants and AssocIated Microorganisms,  and of the BiotecH2020 Initiative, which provides specific skills to the Bachelor and Master students for their incorporation to the labor market. Dr. Antonio Molina is co-founder of the UPM spin-off enterprise PlantResponse Biotech SL and Chair of its Scientific Advisory Board.

The “Plant immunity” research group. led by Dr. Molina has focused during the past years in the characterization of plant immunity mechanisms and their contribution to resistance against necrotrophic fungi, an area where his group is considered an international reference. Since at CBGP, his group has encompassed the role of plant cell wall integrity in the regulation of plant innate immunity and resistance to different type of stresses (biotic or abiotic). His research group has licensed several patents and know-hows, and has contributed to the marketing of an agro-biological product that modulates innate immunity, improving crop productivity.