Our research group is composed by the principal investigator, one associated research professor, two research assistant professors and two pre-doctoral students. The group belongs to the Spanish Network on Addictive Disorders since 2008. Over the past years, the PI and his team have coordinated 6 basic-clinical research projects, several competitive national projects (highlighting the National Plan for Drug Abuse) and the Scientific Research State Plan. Our work has been published in the best scientific journals (first decile). The PI has more than 4008 citations reaching an H index of 36.

Our group studies the properties of the receptors that form the excitatory synapses and that make possible the transmission of information in the brain. To this end we use electrophysiological tools, cellular and molecular biology as well as imaging techniques and transgenic animal models. In particular, we study the kainate type of glutamate receptors and how at presynaptic level they regulate neurotransmitter release and postsynaptically mediate the transmission of information.

to study the double role of sensory neurons innervating the ocular surface, responsible for the genesis of sensations evoked by stimulation of ocular tissues as well as for the trophic maintenance of ocular structures

We, like many other mammals, are essentially visual animals. Thus the visual system of our brains must achieve a daunting task: it creates, in real time, an internal representation of the external world that it is used by other parts of the brain to guide our behavior. But, how do we actually see? how does this neural system accomplish the job? A parsimonious explanation proposes that visual information is analyzed in a series of sequential steps starting in the retina and continuing along the multiple visual cortical areas.

Our laboratory is interested in brain mechanisms supporting global integration of information and its storage into enduring memories. Research over the last years suggests that these processes depend on the interaction of molecular, cellular and systems-level mechanisms. In our lab we approach this complexity with a truly multidisciplinary strategy that simultaneously combines functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electrophysiology, molecular biology and behavioral studies. The basic knowledge gathered in the lab is being translated to the clinics.

Isolation and characterization of genes controlling floral and fruit development in legumes and tomato. Development of biotecnological tools to improve crop production and quality.

We are interested in inflorescence architecture and its evolution. We aim to understand the genetic networks that control the development of the inflorescence and how they have evolved to generate the great diversity of inflorescence architectures present in nature. We also aim to develop biotechnological tools to improve crop yield through the modification of plant and inflorescence architecture.

In our group we are interested in fruit development and evolution. Our goal is to understand how carpel and fruit patterning is established, and what is the molecular basis of the morphological and functional diversity found in Nature. We also are studying the genetic factors that control the lenght of the reproductive phase in monocarpic (annual) plants and thus, total flower and fruit production. In addition, we aim to develop biotechnological tools for breeding of higher yield and desirable fruit-related traits in crop species

ABA plays a crucial role for plant response to abiotic stress and regulation of plant growth and development. For instance, drought increases ABA levels and plant response to ABA is a key adaptive mechanism to resist drought stress. Thus, elucidating the ABA signaling pathway holds enormous promise for biotechnological application in agriculture. Key details of the pathway have been elucidated recently, such as the discovery of the 14-member PYR/PYL/RCAR family of ABA-receptors.

Plants use heavily interconnected signaling pathways to coordinate and execute different developmental and defence-related programs thus ensuring the definition of hierarchy and the optimization of resources through the use of signaling nodes. Most of these signaling pathways are regulated by phytohormones. Lately, we are also studying the functional role of Nitric Oxide as a general co-regulator.