ARMANDO ALBERT

Armando Albert is a structural biologist with large experience on crystallography and biochemical characterization of proteins. After working in London and Cambridge he established his group at the Instituto de Quimica Fisica Rocasolano (IQFR-CSIC) in Madrid, where he is head of the Crystallography and Structural Biology Department. His research interests are in the definition of the architecture of macromolecules and their assemblies with other proteins and ligands to establish structure and function relationships. Especially concerned in the study of molecules involved in the plant cell response to abiotic stress, he has pioneered the structural characterization of the complete pathway formed by the CIPK family of protein kinases, their interacting activators, the CBL family of calcium sensors, and some of their substrate ion transporters. Armando will be a key partner for DrugCrops and will be crucial to determine the chemical activation of the ABA receptors in atomic resolution.