Sergi Munné-Bosch (ICREA Academia Prize 2008 and 2014) was born in Barcelona, Spain, 1974. He received the Biology and PhD degrees at the University of Barcelona, during 1996 and 1999, respectively. He has performed several stays abroad, including the University of Hannover and University of Kiel (Germany), University of Fukuyama (Japan), Montana State University and University of Virginia (USA). Since 2003, he is a Professor of Plant Physiology at the University of Barcelona. During 2000 and 2003, he was a recipient of the Plant Water Relations and Plant Physiology Awards, respectively, given by the Spanish Society of Plant Physiologists. He is an author of more than 170 articles in scientific journals, 16 book chapters and has edited 2 books. He is currently editor-in-chief of the journal Environmental and Experimental Botany (Elsevier) and is leading several research projects, including both basic and applied aspects of plant biology.

Research interests

We are mainly interested in the study of the function of tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E) in plants, including studies on the role of these compounds in plant stress tolerance, leaf and flower senescence, whole-plant senescence and seed aging. We are also interested in the study of other low-molecular-weight antioxidants, including ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic diterpenes. Also, we aim at better understanding plant responses to water and oxidative stresses, as well as the mechanisms underlying stress memory in plants. Furthermore, we investigate the physiological consequences of sexual dimorphism in plants, and the photoprotective and antioxidant capacity of invasive plants relative to native ones in Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Finally, we study hormonal, redox and stress signaling, with an emphasis on linking vitamin E with ethylene and jasmonate signaling.

Keywords

Antioxidants, Mediterranean plants, redox regulation, senescence, stress responses