Five members of the FnPB group attended the Gordon Research Conference: Salt and Water Stress, held in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. The team presented five contributions, including four posters and an oral presentation on our work on proline metabolism. The conference was an excellent opportunity to share our latest advances, exchange ideas, and strengthen connections with leading researchers in the field.

Small regulatory peptides have recently emerged as a new frontier in plant biology. In this project, Dr. Omar Borsani and Dr. Sabina Vidal are investigating the role of LcSPQ, a small peptide with the potential to improve tolerance to oxidative stress and water deficit. Through multi-omics and biotechnological approaches, the team will evaluate the application of LcSPQ in soybean with the aim of developing varieties better adapted to drought conditions and future climate challenges.

Our group was selected for five-year funding from the Max Planck Institute (Germany) in partnership with ANII, aiming to strengthen our research capabilities with a focus on multi-omics approaches.

In December 2025, Santiago Signorelli, head of the F&PB group, represented UdelaR at the 2025 International Forum on Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability, strengthening links with Chinese collaborators and visiting the China–Latin America and the Caribbean Sustainable Food Innovation Center (CLAC-SFIC).

The Head of Food and Plant Biology, Dr. Signorelli, has been included in Stanford University’s prestigious “World’s Top 2% Scientists” ranking. This renowned ranking identifies the most influential scientists worldwide, representing approximately the top 2% of researchers across all disciplines. Compiled annually, the list is based on the previous year’s scientific metrics and indicators. Dr. Signorelli has been featured in this global ranking continuously since 2020.

The Food and Plant Biology group participated in the SAIB Congress (Argentina), presenting 6 posters and delivering 2 oral presentations. The team consisted of three Master’s students, one PhD candidate, a postdoctoral researcher, and the group leader. More photos available in the image carousel.

Dr. Laszlo Szabados from the Biological Research Centre (Szeged, Hungry), visited our lab for two weeks as part of our CRP project funded by ICGEB. During this period we discussed ongoing colaborations and he joined us in field activities related to our grpavine research.

Santiago Signorelli, Esteban Casaretto, Magdalena Etchemendy-Gamundi, Marcel Bentancor, A. Harvey Millar

Plant Cell and Environment, Volume 48, Pages 8027–8043. 

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