Paulina Calderon Flores is a Postdoctoral Researcher at SLU, Campus Alnarp. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from Korea University in 2022, with a dissertation titled “Genetic and Functional Study of Deep Purple Seed Coat Color Genes in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).” Previously, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Örebro University, where she contributed to the project “Plant Response to Ultraviolet Radiation and Blue Light: From Perception to Crop Production.”
Paulina has extensive expertise in genetics, molecular and genomic approaches, and a strong understanding of plant physiology. Her experience spans working with various plant species in both controlled and field conditions, which provides a significant advantage to her research projects. At Örebro University, she employed a multidisciplinary approach—integrating genomics, physiology, molecular biology, and statistics—to investigate the molecular and physiological mechanisms of light perception and signaling in plants, focusing on UV-A perception via UVR8 and the interaction between UV and blue light signaling pathways.
Currently, at SLU, her research project aims to develop and evaluate an environmentally friendly weed control method based on RNA interference.
Project: Use of SIGS (Spray-Induced Gene Silencing technology) as an innovative weed control of very problematic weeds such as Alopecurus myosuroides (Black-grass).
This project focuses on using Spray-Induced Gene Silencing (SIGS) technology as an innovative solution for controlling the problematic weed, Alopecurus myosuroides (Black-Grass), which causes significant crop yield losses and has developed resistance to herbicides. By applying dsRNA and sRNAs via clay nanosheets, SIGS aims to target and silence essential weed genes, offering an environmentally friendly, GMO-free alternative to chemical herbicides. The project will explore the efficacy of SIGS in controlling Black-Grass, assess potential risks to crops and surrounding microbiomes, and investigate the mechanisms of sRNA uptake and gene silencing in the weed.
Postdoctoral Researcher, Örebro University, Sweden
PhD in Plant Biotechnology, Korea University, South Korea
BSc Biotechnology Engineering, ITESM, Mexico