Enrique Lopez Juez

Enrique Lopez Juez is a Professor of Plant Development at the Department of Biological Sciences in Royal Holloway, University of London, affiliated with the Plant Molecular Sciences Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology. His research focuses on chloroplast development and its interplay with plant growth, particularly in cereal crops like wheat and rice. He leads a laboratory exploring genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying chloroplast biogenesis, light signaling, and hormonal regulation.

Key research areas include:

• Light-dependent chloroplast maturation in mesophyll cells
• Genetic regulation of stem cell differentiation in meristems
• Retrograde signaling between chloroplasts and the nucleus
• Engineering C4 photosynthesis in crops to improve yields

Recent work highlights:

• Identification of TIC100 protein’s role in chloroplast protein import
• Uncovering developmental checkpoints in wheat leaf chloroplast staging
• Analysis of light-hormone-sugar signaling networks in leaf formation

Collaborations span institutions like the Indian Institute of Science, University of Oxford, and Riken Institute. His work contributes to UN SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) through advancements in crop productivity and sustainable agriculture.

Grants and projects include BBSRC-funded studies on activating non-photosynthetic leaf cells and NERC-supported methane removal methodologies.