Our group started its activity with the approval of a “Young Investigators Grant” in 2003. Initially, the project was developed within the laboratory coordinated by professor Marcio C. Silva-Filho (Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology – Genetics department – ESALQ – USP). In 2009, our group moved to the Biotechnology Center (CEBTEC), to the recently found Protein Biochemistry Laboratory (Biological Sciences Department – ESALQ/USP). Since then, our group has aimed for high-impact factor publications that effectively contribute to a better understanding of plant biochemistry and physiology.

Our research group is interested in understanding how plants develop and how hormones assist them in this complex task. More specifically, we work with plant peptide hormones. A great deal of our efforts and projects has to do with the function and mechanism of action of a family of peptides called RALF (short for Rapid Alkalinization Factor). We use as many tools as necessary to do this task but mainly we work with genetic and biochemistry techniques such as mutant screening, hybridizations, biological assays, protein extraction and purification, immunoprecipitation and protein labeling. We also make use of molecular biology (cloning, genetic transformation, gene expression, yeast-two-hybrid), plant tissue culture and microscopy.