Associate Professor Ciencias ULisboa
PhD in Plant Biotechnology, ULisboa
Phone (+351) 217500381 | Extension 22145
Email cmmiguel@ciencias.ulisboa.pt | Lab website
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1427-952X
Scopus author ID: 7003739340
Web of Science (WoS) Researcher ID: D-2153-2012
Research Interests
I’ve always been fascinated by the remarkable plasticity that plants exhibit during development throughout their life cycle, from the early developing zygote to the fully mature plant, which can sometimes live for hundreds of years. This feature largely depends on the activity of the meristems that lie in the apical shoot and root, and the lateral meristems that lead to secondary growth by producing wood, cork and associated tissues.
Part of my research has been dedicated to understanding the developmental pathways in the conifer embryo, and those governing secondary growth through lateral meristem activity, including how these mechanisms are affected by (a)biotic factors. I’ve actively participated in several national and international initiatives aimed at sequencing of tree genomes and fostering plant community-driven efforts to establish computational resources to support forest research and phenotypic data management. One of my primary motivations currently lies in bridging the gap between genomic research findings and practical forest management strategies, towards more informed and sustainable approaches to forestry.
Another of my strong motivations, as Professor of Plant Developmental Biology at Ciências ULisboa and advisor of several students across various education levels, is to make students aware of the fascinating world of plants and their critical importance to society and global change.