Plant Biotechnology for Health

- Plants for health
- In vitro plant cell cultures as biofactories
- Molecular farming in plants
- The glycoprotein E2 as immunogen for developing vaccines against the Viral Bovine Diarrohea Virus
- The antibody 14D9 as an experimental model for molecular farming
- Plant Secondary Metabolism
- Solasodine production in Solanum eleagnifolium in in vitro plant cell cultures.
- Bioreactors for in vitro plant cell cultures
- Mathematical model of plant cell growth

Dr. María A. Alvarez Is the PI of the Plant Biotechnology group at the ICT-Milstein, an institute that belongs to CONICET merging with Fundación Pablo Cassará. The group works in the field of Recombinant Protein Production (Molecular Farming) and Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Systems, particularly In Vitro Plant Cell Cultures. Regarding Molecular Farming, the main focus is in proteins of interest for human and animal health, both for therapy as for prevention (vaccines). We also perform research involving the development of diagnosis kits (e.g: ELISA). As for research on Secondary Metabolites Production by in vitro Plant Cell Cultures (cell suspension and hairy root cultures) the work mainly focuses on steroidal and tropane alkaloid production. Patricia Laura Marconi and Melina Laguía Becher Are senior and junior scientists respectively that work in the group directed by Dr. M. A. Alvarez. They have published numerous scientific articles and book chapters and are also members of the National Council of Research (CONICET) from Argentina. Eliana Marzol Is a PhD student supervised by Dr. M. A. Alvarez. Her thesis subject is the production of a vaccine against VBDV using plant-made E2 as immunogen.