معرفی
Carmen Catalá serves as an Assistant Professor in the Section of Plant Biology within Cornell University's School of Integrative Plant Science. Her laboratory investigates molecular mechanisms governing tomato fruit development, with particular focus on auxin synthesis, translocation, and signaling networks. Based in offices 315/316 at Cornell, she maintains an active research program integrating genetic, genomic, and biochemical approaches to study fruit set and growth processes.
Her research centers on elucidating auxin homeostasis during tomato fruit development, examining how spatial and temporal control of auxin levels regulates ovary growth post-fertilization and coordinates cell expansion. Key investigations include transcriptional mapping of PIN and AUX/LAX gene families controlling auxin transport, analysis of IAA biosynthesis pathways, and cell-specific transcriptome profiling using Laser Capture Microdissection. Recent work extends into drought stress adaptation mechanisms and utilization of wild tomato species for genetic diversity studies.
Publications reveal consistent focus on auxin-mediated developmental processes, with increasing emphasis on environmental stress responses and genomic approaches. Her work demonstrates strong integration of transcriptomic, proteomic, and physiological methodologies to address fundamental questions in fruit biology. The 2018 Tomato Expression Atlas represents a significant community resource for plant researchers.
No scientific awards were explicitly mentioned in the source materials. Her laboratory engages in mentoring through the Boyce Thompson Institute internship program, where students investigate molecular mechanisms underlying fruit set, development, and drought stress responses in tomato systems.
The Catalá Lab operates at the intersection of plant physiology, molecular genetics, and genomics, utilizing tomato as a model system to address fundamental questions in fruit development. Research activities include hormone signaling analysis, transcriptome profiling, and investigation of wild tomato species for stress adaptation traits.
