Assoc. Prof. Nico Blanco
- Please tell us about yourself and your research/institution.
My name is Nico Blanco, and I lead a research group that looks at how photosynthesis and primary metabolism are coordinated. Our team is based at CEFOBI (Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos), one of the pioneering centers for photosynthesis research in Argentina.
We want to understand how plants fine-tune photosynthesis and metabolism when growth conditions change — something they do in fascinating and very sophisticated ways. What we learn can help preserve biodiversity and inspire new biotechnological approaches to develop plants that are more resilient to climate change.
- What motivated you to get into plant science?
I was born and raised in Rosario, a big city right in the middle of the Wet Pampas (Pampa Húmeda) in Argentina. It’s famous worldwide for football players and political leaders, but it’s also a hub for agrobiotech companies and plant science research.
Since the very start of my career, I’ve been fascinated by how plants manage to adjust and thrive with the seasons. That curiosity deepened when I realized that similar mechanisms also work in very different plants — from conifers to species growing in the extreme conditions of northern Sweden, where I later did my postdoc, not far from Agrisera’s headquarters.
Now my goal is not only to keep investigating these mechanisms, but also to share that passion and curiosity with the young researchers in my team.
- How have you used (Agrisera) antibodies in your research?
I first started using Agrisera products during my postdoc at UPSC in Umeå, and they quickly became part of my daily work. I’ve used them regularly to track how different regulatory components of photosynthesis behave, and to study the mechanisms that keep plant cells’ energy in balance.
Agrisera has also supported international proteomics workshops that we organized in Rosario, which I really appreciate. Altogether, this has grown into a close working relationship with the Agrisera team that has lasted for almost ten years.
Links
• Assoc. Prof. Nico Blanco
• Agrisera Antibodies to Photosynthetic Research