Recognizing Plant Cell authors: Francesca B. Lopez

Francesca B. Lopez, co-first author of Gene dosage compensation of rRNA transcript levels in Arabidopsis thaliana lines with reduced ribosomal gene copy number https://bit.ly/3pKnKc5

Current Position: PhD candidate at Genetics and Biotechnology lab under the supervision of Prof. Charles Spillane

Non-scientific interests: crochet, sewing and crafting, fostering retired racing greyhounds

Brief bio: I have been an Italian expat working in Ireland for several years before I had the opportunity to return to education as a mature student at the age of 30, with an undergraduate degree in biotechnology at the National University of Ireland in Galway. After that, I returned to my hometown in Milan, Italy, where I studied for an MSc in evolutionary biology and researched interesting aspects of cell-fate transitions of the female gametophyte in Arabidopsis for my MSc thesis. During my research I became intensely passionate about plant biology and returned to the National University of Ireland for my PhD under the supervision of Prof. Charles Spillane, where I have been working on this hugely exciting project we present here. I sincerely hope I’ll have the opportunity to further my research in plant science after my doctorate… I love all things Arabidopsis!