Background 

I obtained my education in Asturias (Spain), gaining my degree in Biology in 2002 at the University of Oviedo. I was awarded a FPU grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education in 2003 to conduct my Ph.D. studies in the Departement of Systems Biology of the University of Oviedo under the supervision of Dr. Ricardo Ordás.

In 2008 I obtained my Ph.D. with a Thesis entitled "Micropropagation of Pinus pinea L. Phisiological and Molecular factors".

Research interests 

My current research interests are in the regulation of shoot formation in conifers using Pinus pinea  as a model. Knowledge of the processes involved in bud organogenesis could help to improve micropropagation protocols and give clues to understand the dynamics of meristem formation. I am also interested in the genetic engineering of plants, especially woody species. 

Other topics that I find fascinating are those related with plant evolution. I am particularly attracted by relict species such as Cycas, Gnetum or Sciadopytis and the physiological mechanisms that have enabled their survival across the years.

Publications

Identification of genes differentially expressed during adventitious shoot induction in Pinus pinea cotyledons by substractive hybridization and quantitative PCR. Alonso P., Cortizo M., Cantón F.,  Fernández B., Rodríguez A., Centeno M.L., Cánovas F. and Ordás R. (2007) Tree Physiology. 27: 1721-1730. Tree Physiology.

Micropropagation of Pinus pinea. Ordás R., Alonso P., Cuesta C., Cortizo M., Rodrígez A. and Fernández B. (2007) in Protocols for micropropagation of Woody Trees and Fruits (Springer, The Netherlands). 33-39. Springer

Cork Oak Trees (Quercus suber L.). Álvarez R., Toribio M., Cortizo  M. and Ordás R. (2006) in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 344:113-124. PUBMED

Organogenic responses of Pinus pinea cotyledons to hormonal treatments: BA metabolism and cytokinin content. Moncaleán P., Alonso P., Centeno M. L., Cortizo M., Rodríguez A., Fernández B. and Ordás R. (2005) Tree Physiology. 25:1-9. Tree Physiology

Micrografting of mature stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) trees. Cortizo, M., Alonso P., Fernández B., Rodríguez A., Centeno M. L. and Ordás R. (2004).  Annals of Forest Science. 61:843-845. AFS

Genetic transformation of selected mature cork oak (Quercus suber L.) trees. Álvarez R., Alonso P., Cortizo M., Celestino C., Hernández I., Toribio M. and Ordás R. (2004).  Plant Cell Reports. 23:218-223. Plant Cell Reports