Rate My Professor Rafael Robaina Romero

Rafael Robaina Romero is a Full Professor of Plant Physiology in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, at Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). He obtained his Licenciatura en Ciencias Biológicas from Universidad de La Laguna in 1985, earning the Extraordinary Licenciatura Prize in 1986, and his Doctorado en Ciencias del Mar from ULPGC in 1988, receiving the Extraordinary Doctorate Prize in 1990. His career at ULPGC started as Profesor Asociado LRU from 1989 to 1990, followed by Profesor Titular Interino from 1990 to 1993, Profesor Titular from 1993 to 2009, and Catedrático de Universidad since 2009. He has served in key administrative roles, including Director of the Department of Biology, Head of Department Services, Coordinator of Biology for Selectividad and PAU, Vicerrector de Títulos y Doctorado from 2012 to 2016, and Rector of ULPGC from 2017 to 2021. He conducted research stays at the University of California, Berkeley in 1990 and as a visiting researcher at the University of Almería from 2003 to 2004.

Robaina Romero's research focuses on plant physiology, algology, and molecular biology of plants, particularly the physiology and biotechnology of marine macroalgae. His work explores molecular and physiological mechanisms of reproductive processes such as carposporogenesis in red algae like Grateloupia imbricata, the roles of jasmonates, ethylene, and polyamines in floridoside and carrageenan synthesis, transcriptomic analysis, and biotechnological approaches for seaweed cultivation and marine restoration. He has directed nine doctoral theses between 1994 and 2017 and led prominent projects, including the EU COST Action PHYCOMORPH "Advancing knowledge on seaweed growth and development" (2015-2019) and I3-4-Seaweed (2024-2027). Selected publications include "Jasmonates and Ethylene Shape Floridoside Synthesis during Carposporogenesis in the Red Seaweed Grateloupia imbricata" (Marine Drugs, 2024), "Jasmonates disrupt carrageenan synthesis during carposporogenesis in the red seaweed Grateloupia imbricata" (Frontiers in Marine Science, 2023), "S-Assimilation Influences in Carrageenan Biosynthesis Genes during Ethylene-Induced Carposporogenesis in Red Seaweed Grateloupia imbricata" (Marine Drugs, 2022), and "Furthering knowledge of seaweed growth and development to facilitate sustainable aquaculture" (New Phytologist, 2017). He co-invented two patents on in vitro propagation of marine phanerogams, including Posidonia oceanica (2011, 2012), and reviews for journals like Journal of Phycology and Marine Drugs. His Google Scholar h-index is 20.