I am a Plant Scientist specializing in Plant Breeding and Genetics. Currently focused on combining classic and modern plant breeding tools to produce superior plant varieties.

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Research

During my PhD in the Dubcovsky lab at UC Davis I studied the genetic regulatory networks that module developmental growth in wheat with a focus on vernalization requirement and photoperiod response. As a PostDoctoral Researcher and Project Scientist, in the Comai Laboratory at the UCD Genome Center, I led the development and implementation of genetic and genomics tools to initiate plant breeding of an orphan crop with an emphasis on flavor quality, disease resistance, and oil yield.

Skills

Plant Breeding / Polyploid Crops / Agricultural Sciences / Plant Biotechnology

Professional Experience

Director of Plant Breeding - NuCicer - May 2023 - current
Genome-Guided Plant Breeding Lead - NuCicer - May 2022 - April 2023
Project Scientist - Genome Center - University of California Davis / Nov 2021 - May 2022
Research Scientist - Genome Center - University of California Davis / Nov 2016 - Oct 2021
Research Scientist - Plant Sciences Department - University of California Davis / Jan 2016 - Oct 2016
Visiting PhD Student - Plant Sciences Department - University of California Davis / 2010 - 2015

Education

*   PhD Agronomic Sciences - University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina - 2015
*   BS/MS. Biotechnology - National University of San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina - 2010

Publications

  1. Diploid mint (M. longifolia) can produce spearmint type oil with a high yield potential. Kippes N et al. Nature Sci Rep 2021

  2. Efficient construction of a linkage map and haplotypes for Mentha suaveolens using sequence capture. Tsai H et al. G3 2021

  3. Effect of PHYB and PHYC loss-of-function mutations on the wheat transcriptome under short and long day photoperiods. Kippes N et al. BMC Plant Biol 2020

  4. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in a regulatory site of VRN-A1 first intron are associated with differences in vernalization requirement lenght of winter wheat. Kippes N et al. Mol Genet Genomics 2018

  5. RNA-seq studies using wheat PHYB and PHYC mutants reveal shared and specific functions in the regulation of flowering and shade-avoidance pathways. Pearce S et al. BMC Plant Biol 2016

  6. Development and characterization of a spring hexaploid wheat line with no functional VRN2 genes. Kippes N et al. Theor Appl Genet 2016

  7. Genetic and physical mapping of the earliness per se locus Eps-Am1 in Triticum monococcum identifies EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) as a candidate gene. Alvarez MA et al. Funct Integr Genomics 2016

  8. Identification of the VERNALIZATION 4 gene reveals the origin of spring growth habit in ancient wheats from South Asia. Kippes N at al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2015

  9. Fine mapping and epistatic interactions of the vernalization gene VRN-D4 in hexaploid wheat. Kippes N et al. Mol Genet Genomics 2014

Languages

English (Full professional proficiency) and Spanish (Native)

Citizenships

US / EU / ARG

News

LINKEDIN: Hot N Cold. Menthol and temperature perception. Plants have found intricated ways to hack human temperature perception

UC DAVIS: Fourth Wheat Gene is Key to Flowering and Climate Adaptation

MOORE FOUNDATION: In a recent study, plant scientists share their discovery of a new gene

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
― Aristotle.