Luis Morales
Position: Senior Lecturer School/office: School of Science and TechnologyEmail: bHVpcy5tb3JhbGVzO29ydS5zZQ==
Phone: +46 19 301033
Room: B2304
About Luis Morales
Luis Orlando Morales is a Senior Lecturer and Docent (Associate Professor in Biology) at Örebro University, School of Science and Technology. He defended his PhD thesis in Plant Biology “Molecular Responses of Plants to Solar UV-B and UV-A radiation” at the University of Helsinki in 2014. Luis has also completed postdoctoral trainings at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki and at the Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University before joining Örebro University in January 2019.
In his research, Luis combines genomics, physiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics and statistics to unravel molecular and physiological mechanisms mediating light perception and signaling in plants. Light is not only a source of energy for photosynthesis but also a key environmental factor that regulates several physiological processes in plants including growth, development, defense against pathogen and insect attacks, and acclimation to the environment. Different wavelengths of light are perceived through specific plant protein photoreceptors. Of these photoreceptors, UVR8 and cryptochromes perceive ultraviolet (UV) radiation and blue light, respectively. His goal is to understand the molecular basis of plant responses to UV and other wavelenghts of the spectrum mediated by UVR8 and cryptochromes, and to understand how plants integrate light signals with environmental factors including drought and temperature. Luis is also seeking applications of light signaling in horticultural settings that aim to improve crop production and quality.
Luis is the principal investigator of the research group Plant signaling and Physiology from the Life Science Center. He colaborates with different groups from the School of Science and Technology including Molecular Biochemistry and Metabolomics as well as the industrial partners Svenska Skogsplantor and Heliospectra AB.
Luis teaches and coordinates several courses in Biology including Plant Physiology, Eukaryotic Cell Biology and Experimental Design. He also teaches in the following Biology and Chemistry courses: Analytical Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Ecology, Biological Forensics, Biological innovations, Model organisms and Analytical Science and Forensics.
Research projects
Active projects
- ImprUV+ - An analytical framework to explore the effects of UV during plant growth on human health
- Photoreceptor interactions in plant perception of ultraviolet and blue light
- Plant responses to ultraviolet radiation and blue light: from perception to crop production
- Ultraviolet radiation as an environmental stimuli in biological systems: perception, signalling, molecular responses and morphogenesis
Completed projects
Publications
Articles in journals
- Saénz-de la O, D. , Morales, L. O. , Strid, Å. , Feregrino-Perez, A. A. , Torres-Pacheco, I. & Guevara‑González, R. G. (2023). Antioxidant and drought‑acclimation responses in UV‑B‑exposed transgenic Nicotiana tabacum displaying constitutive overproduction of H2O2. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 22 (10), 2373-2387.
- Seeburger, P. , Forsman, H. , Bevilacqua, G. , Marques, T. M. , Morales, L. O. , Prado, S. B. R. , Strid, Å. , Hyötyläinen, T. & et al. (2023). From farm to fork… and beyond! UV enhances Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity of cruciferous vegetables in human intestinal cells upon colonic fermentation. Food Chemistry, 426.
- Palma, C. F. F. , Castro Alves, V. , Morales, L. O. , Rosenqvist, E. , Ottosen, C. , Hyötyläinen, T. & Strid, Å. (2022). Metabolic changes in cucumber leaves are enhanced by blue light and differentially affected by UV interactions with light signalling pathways in the visible spectrum. Plant Science, 321.
- Leppälä, J. , Gaupels, F. , Xu, E. , Morales, L. O. , Durner, J. & Brosché, M. (2022). Ozone and nitrogen dioxide regulate similar gene expression responses in Arabidopsis but natural variation in the extent of cell death is likely controlled by different genetic loci. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13.
- Palma, C. F. F. , Castro Alves, V. , Rosenqvist, E. , Ottosen, C. , Strid, Å. & Morales, L. O. (2021). Effects of UV radiation on transcript and metabolite accumulation are dependent on monochromatic light background in cucumber. Physiologia Plantarum, 173 (3), 750-761.
- Morales, L. O. , Shapiguzov, A. , Safronov, O. , Leppälä, J. , Vaahtera, L. , Yarmolinsky, D. , Kollist, H. & Brosché, M. (2021). Ozone responses in Arabidopsis: beyond stomatal conductance. Plant Physiology, 186 (1), 180-192.
- Rai, N. , Morales, L. O. & Aphalo, P. J. (2021). Perception of solar UV radiation by plants: photoreceptors and mechanisms. Plant Physiology, 186 (3), 1382-1396.
- Palma, C. F. F. , Castro Alves, V. , Morales, L. O. , Rosenqvist, E. , Ottosen, C. & Strid, Å. (2021). Spectral composition of light affects plant sensitivity to UV-B and photoinhibition in cucumber. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11.
- Sáenz-de la, O. D. , Morales, L. O. , Strid, Å. , Torres-Pacheco, I. & Guevara-Gonzáles, R. G. (2021). Ultraviolet-B exposure and exogenous hydrogen peroxide application lead to cross-tolerance toward drought in Nicotiana tabacum L.. Physiologia Plantarum, 173 (3), 666-679.
- Rai, N. , O'Hara, A. , Farkas, D. , Safronov, O. , Ratanasopa, K. , Wang, F. , Lindfors, A. V. , Jenkins, G. I. & et al. (2020). The photoreceptor UVR8 mediates the perception of both UV-B and UV-A wavelengths up to 350 nm of sunlight with responsivity moderated by cryptochromes. Plant, Cell and Environment, 43 (6), 1513-1527.
- Robson, T. M. , Aphalo, P. J. , Banas, A. K. , Barnes, P. W. , Brelsford, C. C. , Jenkins, G. I. , Kotilainen, T. K. , Labuz, J. & et al. (2019). A perspective on ecologically relevant plant-UV research and its practical application. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 18 (5), 970-988.
- Brelsford, C. C. , Morales, L. O. , Nezval, J. , Kotilainen, T. K. , Hartikainen, S. M. , Aphalo, P. J. & Robson, M. (2019). Do UV‐A radiation and blue light during growth prime leaves to cope with acute high light in photoreceptor mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana?. Physiologia Plantarum, 165 (3), 537-554.
- Rai, N. , Neugart, S. , Yan, Y. , Wang, F. , Siipola, S. M. , Lindfors, A. V. , Winkler, J. B. , Albert, A. & et al. (2019). How do cryptochromes and UVR8 interact in natural and simulated sunlight?. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70 (18), 4975-4990.
- O'Hara, A. , Headland, L. R. , Díaz-Ramos, L. A. , Morales, L. O. , Strid, Å. & Jenkins, G. I. (2019). Regulation of Arabidopsis gene expression by low fluence rate UV-B independently of UVR8 and stress signaling. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 18 (7), 1675-1684.
- Yan, Y. , Stoddard, F. L. , Neugart, S. , Sadras, V. O. , Lindfors, A. , Morales, L. O. & Aphalo, P. J. (2019). Responses of flavonoid profile and associated gene expression to solar blue and UV radiation in two accessions of Vicia faba L. from contrasting UV environments. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, 18 (2), 434-447.
- Barnes, P. W. , Morales, L. O. & Robson, T. M. (2018). The importance and direction of current and future plant-UV research. UV4Plants Bulletin, 2, 19-32.
- Verdaguer, D. , Jansen, M. A. , Llorens, L. , Morales, L. O. & Neugart, S. (2017). UV-A radiation effects on higher plants: Exploring the known unknown. Plant Science, 255, 72-81.
- Morales, L. O. , Brosché, M. , Vainonen, J. P. , Sipari, N. , Lindfors, A. , Strid, Å. & Aphalo, P. J. (2015). Are solar UV-B- and UV-A-dependent gene expression and metabolite accumulation in Arabidopsis mediated by the stress response regulator RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1?. Plant, Cell and Environment, 38 (5), 878-891.
- Siipola, S. M. , Kotilainen, T. , Sipari, N. , Morales, L. O. , Lindfors, A. V. , Robson, M. & Aphalo, P. J. (2015). Epidermal UV-A absorbance and whole leaf flavonoid composition in pea respond more to solar blue light than solar UV radiation. Plant, Cell and Environment, 38 (5), 941-952.
- Orelma, H. , Morales, L. O. , Johansson, L. , Hoeger, I. C. , Filpponen, I. , Castro, C. , Rojas, O. J. & Laine, J. (2014). Affibody conjugation onto bacterial cellulose tubes and bioseparation of human serum albumin. RSC Advances, 4 (93), 51440-51450.
- Morales, L. O. , Iakovlev, M. , Martin-Sampedro, R. , Rahikainen, J. L. , Laine, J. , van Heiningen, A. & Rojas, O. J. (2014). Effects of residual lignin and heteropolysaccharides on the bioconversion of softwood lignocellulose nanofibrils after SO2-ethanol-water fractionation. Bioresource Technology, 161, 55-62.
- Morales, L. O. , Brosché, M. , Vainonen, J. , Jenkins, G. I. , Wargent, J. J. , Sipari, N. , Strid, Å. , Lindfors, A. V. & et al. (2013). Multiple Roles for UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 in Regulating Gene Expression and Metabolite Accumulation in Arabidopsis under Solar UV Radiation. Plant Physiology, 161 (2), 744-759.
- Puentes Rodriguez, Y. , Morales, L. O. , Willför, S. , Pulkkinen, P. , Peltola, H. & Pappinen, A. (2013). Wood decay caused by Heterobasidion parviporum in juvenile wood specimens from normal and narrow crowned Norway spruce. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 28 (4), 331-339.
- Rodriguez, Y. P. , Puhakka-Tarvainen, H. , Pastinen, O. , Siika-Aho, M. , Alvila, L. , Turunen, O. , Morales, L. O. & Pappinen, A. (2012). Susceptibility of pre-treated wood sections of Norway spruce (Picea abies) clones to enzymatic hydrolysis. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 42 (1), 38-46.
- Morales, L. O. , Tegelberg, R. , Brosché, M. , Lindfors, A. , Siipola, S. & Aphalo, P. J. (2011). Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula. Physiologia Plantarum, 143 (3), 261-270.
- Morales, L. O. , Tegelberg, R. , Brosché, M. , Keinänen, M. , Lindfors, A. & Aphalo, P. J. (2010). Effects of solar UV-A and UV-B radiation on gene expression and phenolic accumulation in Betula pendula leaves. Tree Physiology, 30 (7), 923-934.
- Järvinen, P. , Palmé, A. , Morales, L. O. , Lännenpää, M. , Keinänen, M. , Sopanen, T. & Lascoux, M. (2004). Phylogenetic relationships of Betula species (Betulaceae) based on nuclear Adh and chloroplast matK sequences. American Journal of Botany, 91 (11), 1834-1845.
Conference papers
- Morales, L. O. (2018). ROS regulation of gene expression and cell death in Arabidopsis: From natural variation to miRNAs. Paper presented at 29th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR 2018), Turku, Finland, June 25-29, 2018.
- Morales, L. O. (2018). UVR8 and cryptochromes promote sunlight acclimation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Paper presented at 2nd UV4Plants Network Meeting, Bled, Slovenia, April 15-18, 2018.
- Morales, L. O. , Brosché, M. & Aphalo, P. J. (2015). Plant acclimation to sunlight: solar UV, phenolics and UV photoreceptors. Paper presented at 16th Congress of the European Society of Photobiology, Aveiro, Portugal, August 31 - September 4, 2015.
- Morales, L. O. (2014). Bacterial cellulose as biomolecule carrier. Paper presented at 247th American Chemical Society Meeting, Dallas, USA, March 16-20, 2014.
- Morales, L. O. (2013). Effects of lignin and hemicelluloses on the enzymatic hydrolysis of nanofibrillated softwood lignocellulose after SO2-ethanol-water (SEW) fractionation. Paper presented at 245th American Chemical Society Meeting, New Orleans, USA, April 7-11, 2013.
- Morales, L. O. (2011). Accumulation of epidermal flavonoids in Betula pendula leaves of different ages under altered solar UV radiation. Paper presented at COST-Action FA0906, UV4growth, 1st Annual Network Meeting, Szeged, Hungary, February 7-9, 2011.
Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries
- Morales, L. O. (2014). Molecular responses of plants to solar UV-B and UV-A radiation. (Doctoral dissertation). (Comprehensive summary) Helsinki, Finland: Unigrafia Oy.