Prof. Igor Cesarino (Principal Investigator)
B.Sc. in Biology (2003-2007) from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil). M.Sc. (2007-2009) and PhD (2009-2012) in Plant Biology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil). Post-doctoral fellow at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Belgium, 2012-2014).
Professor at the Department of Botany, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo (Brazil), working on Lignin Metabolism and Engineering of Secondary Cell Walls. Teaching activities on plant physiology, plant molecular biology and plant biotechnology for undergraduate and graduate students.
Phone: +55 11 3091 7486
Email: icesarino@usp.br
Google Scholar
Publons
CV Lattes
Leandro Francisco de Oliveira (Postdoctoral fellow)
B.Sc. in Biology (2006-2008) from Fundação Municipal de Ensino Superior de Bragança Paulista. M.Sc. (2009-2011) in Plant Biology from Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR, Brazil). PhD (2013-2017) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Identification and validation of post-transcriptional regulatory modules involved in lignin metabolism in grasses
Email: lfdeoliveira@usp.br
CV Lattes
Alison Andrei Schmatz (Postdoctoral fellow)
B.Sc. in Biology (2009-2012) from State University of the Central West (UNICENTRO. M.Sc. (2013-2015) in Bioenergy from State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG, Brazil). PhD (2016-2020) in Microbiology from the State University of São Paulo (UNESP, Brazil).
Project: Sugarcane as green biofactories: metabolic engineering of high-value aromatic compounds
Email:
CV Lattes
Giovanni Victório Cerruti (PhD student)
B.Sc. in Biotechnology (2011-2016) from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL, Brazil). M.Sc. (2016-2019) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). PhD student (2019-today) in Biotechnology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Functional characterization of transcription factors involved in secondary cell wall deposition in Setaria viridis [(L.) P.Beauv.].
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: gvcerruti@usp.br
CV Lattes
Leydson Gabriel Alves de Lima (PhD student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2017-2021) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). PhD student (2022-today) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Going deep into the phenylpropanoid metabolism in C4 grasses using Setaria viridis as model species
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: leydsongabrielalvess@usp.br
CV Lattes
Arthur de Barros Rates (PhD student)
M.Sc. in Plant Biology (2020-2022) from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG, Brazil). PhD student (2022-today) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Functional characterization of SvUGTs potentially involved in tricin glycosylation in Setaria viridis
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: arthur.rates@ib.usp.br
Gabriel Garon Carvalho (PhD student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2012-2019) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). M.Sc. (2020-2023) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). PhD student (2023-today) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Functional characterization of ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE2B (ALDH2B) sunfamily in the model grass Setaria viridis (L.) P.Beauv.: implication in the metabolism of aromatic compounds.
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: gabriel.garon.carvalho@usp.br
CV Lattes
Lucas Xavier Cunha (PhD Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2019-2024) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). PhD student (2024-today) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Functional Characterization of Flavone Synthase Enzymes Involved in Tricin Biosynthesis in the Model Grass Setaria viridis [(L.) P.Beauv.].
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: lcunha.xavier@usp.br
Bianca Meeihua Sung (M.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2012-2020) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). M.Sc. (2021-today) in Biotechnology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Characterization of ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE2C (ALDH2C) sunfamily in the model grass Setaria viridis (L.) P.Beauv.
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: bianca.sung@usp.br
CV Lattes
Arthur Netto Escudeiro (M.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biotechnology (2020-204) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil). M.Sc. (2025-today) in Plant Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Phenotypic characterization of transgenic lines of Setaria viridis silenced for laccases potentially involved in the lignification process
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: arthurescudeiro07@usp.br
CV Lattes
Alice Cristine Cursino (M.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2019-2023) from the University of Taubaté (Brazil). M.Sc. (2024-today) in Plamt Biology from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Overproduction of rosmarinic acid in transgenic sugarcane lines
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email:
CV Lattes
Gabriel Fontanella Pileggi (B.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2021-today) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Selection of sugarcane transgenic lines overproducing the biopolymer precursor 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC)
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: gabrielfpileggi@usp.br
Hugo Ramalho de Souza (B.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2021-today) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Characterization of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway and its link with lignification in Setaria viridis
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: hugorsouza@usp.br
Erika Patrícia Aires Oliveira (B.Sc. Student)
B.Sc. in Biology (2021-today) from the University of São Paulo (USP, Brazil).
Project: Validation of transcription factors potentially involved in the regulation of lignin and tricin metabolism in Setaria viridis
Phone: +55 11 3091 8062
Email: erikaaireso@usp.br
Past members
Postdoctoral fellows
Sávio de Siqueira Ferreira (2017 – 2019)
Predoctoral fellows (including PhD, M. Sc. and B. Sc.)
André Vicioli de Almeida Pina (2016 – 2017)
Larissa Rocha de Carvalho (2021 – 2022)
Raphael Mendes de Almeida Svartman (2018 – 2023)
Marcella Siqueira Simões (2015 – 2024)