Environmental Research Institute

• Biotechnology & Bioresources

• AECI (Spanish Agency of International Cooperation) Studentship (Environmental project in El Salvador)

Qualifications:

• PhD in Plant Physiology
• First Degree. Bachelor of Science in Biology

• Gunsé, B. Garzķn, T., Barcelķ, J. Studies of aluminium toxicity by means of vital staining profiles in four cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris L. IX National Symposium of Plant Nutrition, Zaragoza, September, 2002.
• Darwent, M., Lu, C., Tomos, A. D., Garzķn, T., Patterson, E. Measuring single cell sugar concentration with custom built capillary electrophoresis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A (CBP) SEB, April, 2002.
• Barcelķ, J. Poscherieder, Ch., Kidd, P., Llugany, M. Gunsé, B., Feixa, X., Garzķn, T. Is there a threshold for the activation of aluminium tolerance mechanisms in maize. Impact of Potential Tolerance of Plants on the Increased Productivity under Al. stress, Okayama University, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, September, 2000.
• Garzķn, T., Gunsé, B., Barcelķ, J. Effects of aluminium on growth and aluminium precipitation in two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars. VIII National Symposium of Plant Nutrition. Molina de Segura, Murcia, 8-11 October, 2000.
• Gunsé, B., Garzķn, T., Barcelķ, J. Study of aluminium toxicity by means of Vital Staining Profiles in four cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Journal of Plant Physiology, in press).
• Garzon, T., Gunsé, B., Tomos, A. D., Barcelķ, J. Effects of aluminium on calcium and ionic vacuole content in two varieties of Zea mays L. Differing in aluminum tolerance. (New Phytologist, in review).

• The project in the ERI seeks to develop a novel method for screening plant biomass that will identify biochemical markers for lignin content. Lignin content is one of the most important parameters affecting commercial uses of biomass. Currently lignin content is mostly analysed laborious biochemical methods. Providing a robust cheaper and more accurate methodology to do this will have scientific and commercial value.
  Chemical markers specific to the different types of lignin subunits will be identified. Sample preparation, spectroscopy parameters, data correction and analysis protocols will be assessed for their utility.
  Samples of maize plant material with know lignin concentrations have been grown and stored already. Ground dry plant material will by analysed by Pyrolysis-GCMS. The data will be analysed by linear multivariate statistical methods in order to produce a calibration set predictive of lignin content and can be used in future studies.