Translational Plant

The Tropical Andean Forests Research Group focuses on advancing scientific knowledge of the biodiversity, ecological functions, and ecosystem services provided by tropical Andean and Amazonian forests. These ecosystems play a fundamental role in maintaining ecological and socio-environmental stability by contributing to climate regulation, carbon sequestration, disease regulation, and the provision of food and medicinal plant resources.

Despite the extraordinary diversity of vascular plants—estimated at approximately 400,000 described species worldwide—only a fraction has been scientifically investigated. Their vast diversity of specialized metabolites represents an exceptional opportunity for biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and industrial innovation. Many plant species from the tropical Andes and Amazon remain undocumented or insufficiently studied, highlighting the urgent need for multidisciplinary research on their biodiversity, conservation, sustainable use, and responses to climate change.

Research Areas

• Developmental Plant Physiology
• Plant–Microbiome Interactions
• Novel Plant Breeding Technologies
• Germplasm Conservation and Genetic Diversity (DNA Barcoding)
• Documentation of the Tangible and Intangible Knowledge of Neotropical Plants