Raquel Esteban Terradillos

Raquel Esteban Terradillos

Oraingo lanpostua/Puesto actual

Profesora Adjunta en el Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología.

Formakuntza eta ibilbidea/Formación y trayectoria

My interests in plant physiology emerged early from my education (2003), when I started collaborating as a research student in the Plant Biology and Ecology department in the University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU), after obtaining a research student fellowship. I first graduated in 2005 as a biologist at this university. This year, I was award by a predoctoral fellowship funded by the Basque Government. In 2007, I completed my MSc focused on the dynamics of xanthophyll cycles in Lauraceae tree species. Two years later, I completed my PhD Thesis (Cum laude and extraordinary award), in which I fully characterized the lutein epoxide cycle,  a new xanthophyll cycle fundamental for plant photoprotection mechanism responses. All these works were mainly performed between Basque Country and the University of La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain), where I realized a research stay of 7 weeks. From 2010-2018, after obtaining several fellowships I was able to follow my research career. I was awarded by two doctor specialization grants funded by the University of Basque Country (2010-2013), a Jae-Doctor grant funded by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) cofinanced by the European Social Fund (2013-2016), and a Juan de la Cierva contract (2016-2017). I followed my research at the UPV/EHU (2017-2019). During my postdoc track, I visited several international institutions , as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de León, Wageninger. UR horticulture, IPSP of the Italian National Research Council and the University of Minnesota.  In 2019, I joined the team of Jorge Curiel at the Basque Center for Climate Change. In 2020, I got a contract as an Assistant professor at the UPV/EHU. I am a plant ecophysiologist, broadly interested in understanding how plants’ secondary metabolism (mainly isoprenoids) interact with their environment and what mechanisms at different scales are responsible for this adaptation of plants. During my research track, I have acquired a wide expertise in the study of plant tolerance to several environmental constraints in a wide number of species, tacking plants responses from a holistic view that encompasses disciplines across diverse scales (ecology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, and health).   Nowadays, my research is mainly focused on isoprenoids and the ecophysiological processes.

Ikerketan aritzeko motibazioa/Mi motivación para dedicarme a la investigación

The main reason is that I love science, I love solving natural world puzzles and I really enjoy being a plant researcher. My insatiable curiosity, together with the hard work and creativity make my science dynamic; I am constantly questioning, constantly learning, growing daily. Continually finding answers to nowadays concerns, as climate warming, bio-economy, or food security, co-working with my many international collaborators.

Ikerketa-taldea eta garatzen ditudan ikerketa-ildoak /Grupo y líneas de investigación que desarrollo

Actualmente formo parte del Grupo de Investigación EKOFISKO (Ecofisiología del Estrés y de la Contaminación en Plantas) (https://www.ehu.eus/es/web/ekofisko/aurkezpena).  Mis líneas de investigación.

My research lines are:

  • Plants metabolites as a tool to detect early warning signs of tree health losses.
  • The Iberian world. Deciphering the Ecophysiological Basis of Decay
  • Carotenoids: a colour world and their importance in nutrition and health
  • Uncovering the volatile nature of bryophytes

Nire ikerketa-ibilbidean aipatzen dut…/En mi trayectoria investigadora destaco…

Academic achievements: PhD with European Mention (Cum laude and Special Doctorate Extraordinary Award) at UPV/EHU.

  • Scientific publications: 42 peer-reviewed manuscripts.5 international book chapters +4 national book chapters. Mean ISI impact factor: 3.22 (9 articles with IF>4); Accumulative IF of 125; 68% articles in Q1; 8 articles in D1; H-index: 20; i-index: 30; Total Citations: 1376, average citation per publication: 30; 160 citations/year (last 5 years). 86 presentations at national and international conferences
  • Project participation in 31 R&D projects (including 4 as PI)
  • International activity: More than 80 co-authors in scientific publications; Experience in outstanding international institutions: Forschungszentrum Jülich (3 months, Germany), Universidad Nacional Autonoma Nicaragua (UNAN, 2 months), University of Minnesota (2 months, USA) and Italian National Research Council (3 months, Italy), 40 presentations at international conferences. Member of the EuroCaroten COST action network.
  • Leadership capacity: 4 projects as PI. Peer-reviewer for more than 19 high-impact journals being top reviewer in 2018 by Publons. Guest associate editor of Frontiers in Plant Science. Reviewer and panel member of 3 thesis defence and in master and grade defense committee. Evaluator of AEET young projects in 2019. Teaching/supervision of 2 post-docs, 4 PhD students (3 completed, 1 at the end of 2022), 2 visiting PhD students, 19 MSc students,12-grade dissertations, and 5-practices mentoring. Director of two summer courses, Director committee member of BASOTEK (multidisciplinary network regarding forest health). Director of 2 summer courses in the Public University of Navarre and UPV/EHU. Co-organizer of the “I Ecophysiology Symposium”.
  • Grants: my research has been competitively funded (e.g., Jae Doctor, Juan de la Cierva…).
  • Teaching activities Teaching Plant Physiology in 7 different degrees at UPV/EHU. Participated in 3 University Summer Courses.

Outreach: Rich outreach activities with newspaper publications, articles in “The conversation”, open doors days, week of science, radio programs.

Etorkizunari begira/Mirando al futuro

Me encantaría despertar, motivar y transmitir la importancia de las plantas y su compleja fisiología para abordar los retos actuales