معرفی
Isabel Vales is an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. She leads the Texas A&M Potato Breeding and Variety Development Program, focusing on developing high-yielding potato varieties adapted to Texas conditions using conventional and molecular tools. Her work emphasizes heat tolerance, disease resistance (e.g., zebra chip), and tuber quality traits.
Education: Licentiate Degree (Biological Sciences) and Ph.D. (Biology) from the University of Santiago de Compostela and University of Vigo, Spain. Postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota, followed by roles at Oregon State University, ICRISAT (India), and as an independent advisor before joining Texas A&M in 2017.
Research Interests: Potato genetics, molecular breeding, abiotic stress tolerance (heat, waterlogging), and crop improvement. She has contributed to over 23 potato variety releases and 87+ peer-reviewed publications.
Key Projects: Integration of Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive tuber analysis, genomic selection in tetraploid potatoes, and CRISPR/Cas9 applications for starch modification. Collaborates with Texas A&M AgriLife Research to enhance agricultural resilience in semi-arid regions.
Awards: Not explicitly listed, but her contributions to crop improvement and breeding innovations are internationally recognized.
Grants and Advising: Oversees the Potato Breeding Program’s funding and has mentored students through collaborative projects. Active in developing hybrid pigeonpea and improving crop wild relatives’ utilization.
Labs/Teams: Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program, part of AgriLife Research, focusing on sustainable agriculture solutions through genetics and technology.
