Crisanto Gutierrez

Crisanto Gutierrez is a distinguished Professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Head of the Genome Dynamics and Function Program at the Center for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa in Madrid, Spain. With over three decades of academic service since 1982, he has held progressive academic ranks from Assistant Professor to his current full Professor position since 2002, establishing himself as an internationally recognized leader in plant molecular biology.

His pioneering research focuses on the interplay between chromatin dynamics, DNA replication, and cell proliferation in plants, utilizing multidisciplinary approaches across cellular, molecular, genetic, and genomic domains. Gutierrez achieved seminal breakthroughs including the discovery of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein in plants and deciphering geminivirus DNA replication mechanisms coupled to the cell cycle. His work primarily employs Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system to investigate fundamental biological processes, with particular expertise in endoreplication, epigenetics, chromatin organization, and root development.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory exploring chromatin organization's role in genome function, with increasing emphasis on epigenetic regulation of DNA replication origins and their developmental implications. His research bridges fundamental cell cycle mechanisms with plant-specific adaptations, demonstrating how chromatin landscapes dictate replication timing and transcriptional activity across different tissue types.

Honors and awards include:

• EMBO Council Member (2020)
• ERC Advanced Grant PLANTGROWTH (2019-2024)
• Research Prize from Fundacion Carmen y Severo Ochoa (2008)
• Membership in the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Cadiz (2009)
• EMBO Membership (1998)

Gutierrez maintains an active research program with continuous competitive funding since 1993, including his current European Research Council Advanced Grant. He has trained over 60 PhD and postdoctoral researchers, nine of whom now lead independent laboratories worldwide. His editorial leadership includes positions at EMBO Journal, EMBO Reports, and Plant Journal, while his advisory roles extend to research institutes in France, Spain, and Argentina. He serves on prestigious evaluation panels including LABEX (France) and the ERC Consolidator Grant Life Sciences panel.