People

I am a biologist, graduated at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. My PhD was on bioenergetics of photosynthetic bacteria (CSIC-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 1983). After a 3-years postdoctoral stay in the University of California, San Diego, as a Fulbright fellow working on the molecular biology of plant viruses, I obtained a tenured position as Associate Professor at the UAM (1988) where I started working on molecular genetics of plant-nematode interactions, funded by the European Union and National funds for almost 10 years. While at UAM, I also initiated a project on epidermal and stomatal development. At present I am a Professor of Plant Biology at Universidad de Castilla-la Mancha and continue working in the last two research lines, with the regulation of gene expression and cell differentiation as a common denominator. This work has been funded along the years by competitive grants and had led to publications in reputed scientific journals, to editing international books and to Doctoral Theses.

Among other activities, I have been vice-rector of Academic Affairs at UCLM, Coordinator of the Spanish Team of Bologna Experts, and General Secretary for University Coordination at the Ministry of Science and Education. At present I collaborate on institutional evaluation and quality with the European University Association as a member of the IEP, and the National and several Regional University Agencies. I advise international and national scientific and academic institutions evaluating personnel and research proposals.

I have worked as Visiting Scientist at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA, and as Tinker Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Since 1983 I teach in the fields of molecular and cellular genetics, plant physiology, genomics and biotechnology. I contribute to popular science activities on a regular basis. Active for many years in Gender issues in academia, I am a founder of the European Women Rectors Association.

Professor. Head of Department

Bachelor in Biology, University Autonoma of Madrid, 1991. PhD at the John Innes Center, Norwich, UK (1999) awarded with a fellowship from the European Union. Post-doctoral researcher at University of Wageningen, Holand (1999-2000). Assistant researcher at University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM; 1999-2003). Since 2003 permanent assistant professor at UCLM. Visiting professor in different Universities and Research Institutes: Univ. Autonoma of Madrid (2009), at National Center of Biotechnology, Madrid (2002, 2007); Univ. of Durham (2011); John Innes Center (2014). Total publications JIC, 41, from them, 20 are in the top ten of the research area of Plant Sciences and 8 in the first quarter being corresponding author of 17th. Science promoting activities includes also 4 international book chapters and 10 nationals, and editor of one international (Elsevier) and one National research book. Currently is editor of a topic in Frontiers in Plant Science (impact factor 3.9, 2015-16). From 2015 she has the privilege to represent the Spanish Society of Phytopathology as part of the scientific committee. Invited Speaker in more than 20 conferences or seminars in different institutions and 24 oral communications in congresses and workshops. Principal investigator of 4 National projects and 2 local projects. Awarded in 2003 with a project from the prestigious Ramón Areces Fundation, the only funded in Castilla La Mancha, Spain. Active member of international agreements for student exchange since 1999 at UCLM (responsible of more than 30 internships). Her research line is centered in the molecular basis of the plant-nematode interaction between endoparasite nematodes and plants. The main objective is to understand the molecular mechanisms of gene reprogramming that allow the development of the nematode feeding sites, including special nourishing cells induced by the nematodes, called giant cells. The group uses molecular biology combined with cell biology techniques and holistic approaches for gene expression analysis. The final objective is to develop nematode-control strategies based on biotechnology tools that could also allow combination to other methods such as biopesticides for an integrated management approach within a sustainable agriculture system. 

Associate Professor

Montaña Mena es doctora en Biología por la UCM. Realizó su tesis doctoral en el Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de la Escuela de Ingenieros Agrónomos, en la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, consiguiendo el Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado (1990). Fue investigadora contratada por el Centro Nacional de Biotecnología del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (1990-1991). Realizó una estancia de tres años en la Universidad de California-San Diego, con becas de la NATO (1992) y del MEC (1993-1994). En 1995 obtuvo un contrato de investigación asociado al Departamento de Biotecnología de la Escuela de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Madrid, dentro del programa del MEC para la reincorporación de Doctores (1995-2000). Desde el 2001 es profesora de la Facultad de Ciencias del Medio Ambiente de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, donde es Profesor Titular de Fisiología Vegetal (2002) y forma parte del grupo de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular de Plantas de la UCLM.

A lo largo de su carrera investigadora ha aplicado herramientas genéticas y moleculares al estudio de caracteres de interés agronómico, el control genético del desarrollo floral, la regulación transcripcional en la semilla de cereales y, actualmente, al conocimiento de los mecanismos de diferenciación de estomas y la regulación de su abundancia. Su investigación se ha desarrollado en varias especies de cereales, especies modelo de plantas y más recientemente en tomate. 

La línea de investigación actual de la Dra. Mena acomete el estudio del desarrollo de estomas en Arabidopsis desde la identificación de nuevos alelos y genes clave para la formación de estomas, aplicación de la transcriptómica para descubrir procesos relevantes, y exploración de la variación natural y control por luz del desarrollo de estomas para entender la regulación genética y ambiental de su abundancia. Ha extendido su interés al estudio de las correlaciones entre abundancia de estomas, fisiología y rendimiento de la planta en condiciones óptimas y estresantes y está trasladando sus resultados a especies cultivadas. Colabora ocasionalmente en otros proyectos de investigación aportando su experiencia en la minería de datos genómicos y filogenias moleculares.

Associate Professor