Carolina Cíntora
PhD student
- What fascinates you most about plant science?
At first glance, plants can seem simple, but in reality, complicated mechanisms are responsible for even the most basic forms. Also, their inability to move and flee from danger makes them all the more interesting.
- Tell us briefly what scientific questions you are pursuing at MPIPZ
I would like to identify and describe the mechanisms that are in charge of changing leaf morphology in the plant species Cardamine hirsuta, as well as find out if certain leaf shapes are beneficial in certain environments compared to others.
- What/who has inspired you greatly in your career so far?
That we can get crystal clear pictures of the genetic mechanisms that underlie a given trait and how these interact with each other and, if we’re lucky, even make accurate predictions!
- What do/did you find most challenging in your career so far?
Relocating to a new place 10 thousand km away from home, where not only did I not speak the language but I also didn’t know anyone there.
- How do you see your future in science and why?
I would see myself following up with a postdoc in an area related to my current field; ideally, after this, I would have had the opportunity to supervise students and eventually lead my own research group. The field is constantly expanding, and there is still a lot of work to be done, so combining my experience in basic research and previous work with crops is a great opportunity to contribute to research in highly relevant topics related to food security or climate change.