PBMBU / Researcher

Education

• 1989 B. Sc. Biochemistry, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de la Habana, Cuba
• 2003 Ph. D. Plant Biotechnology, CICY
• 2005 Postdoctorate, Root responses to environmental cues: the role of hydrotropism in plant survival and development, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM

Current Field of Research

• Our research interest is focused to the understanding the mechanisms plants have acquired to efficiently capture mineral nutrients, using habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) as a model system.
• We are currently determining the ability of the radicle system to specifically perceive nitrogen gradients, so as to redirect their growth in response. We would like to identify genes and proteins involved in this process, spanning from the signal (nutrient) perception until it is converted in an adequate development response.

Recent Publications

• Santana N., I. Echevarría-Machado, F. Vázquez-Flota, I. Islas, M. Martínez-Estevéz and J.J. Zúñiga, El chile habanero de Yucatán: Ciencia y denominación de origen. Ciencia, Conocimiento y Tecnología 89: 76-79, (2009).
• Medina-Lara F., I. Echevarría-Machado, R. Pacheco-Arjona, N. Ruíz-Lau, A. Guzmán-Antonio and M. Martínez-Estévez, Influence of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on fruiting and pungency in habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.), HortScience 43: 1549-1554, 2008).
• Echevarría-Machado I., R. Escobedo-G.M. and A. Larqué-Saavedra, Response of transformed Catharanthus roseus roots to femtomolar concentrations of salicylic acid, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 45: 5012-507, (2007) (doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2007.04.003).
• Echevarría-Machado I., M. Martínez-Estévez, A. Muñoz-Sánchez, V.M. Loyola-Vargas, S.M.T. Hernández-Sotomayor and C. De los Santos-Briones, Membrane-associated phosphoinositides-specific phospholipase C forms from C. roseus transformed roots, Molecular Biotechnology 35: 297-309, (2007).
• Echevarría-Machado I., L. Brito-Argáez, G. Racagni-Di Palma, A. Ramos-Díaz, V. M. Loyola-Vargas and S.M.T. Hernández-Sotomayor, Polyamines modify the components of phospholipids-based signal transduction pathway in Coffea arabica L. cells, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 43: 874-881, (2005).

Awards

• 2002, BEST POSTER AWARD, Phytochemical Society of North America.
• 2004-2006, RESEARCHER CANDIDATE, National Researchers System, Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, SNI).
• 2005, THIRD PLACE POSTER AWARD, IV Congreso de Estudiantes del Verano de la Investigación Científica, UADY
• 2007-2014, RESEARCHER LEVEL 1, National Researchers System (SNI).