Matías González

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Plant Biotechnology, specialising in the applications of new genomic techniques (NGTs) in potato and other crops. With a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences earned from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina (2021), my doctoral research focused on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 to enhance post-harvest quality in potato tubers. 

Currently, I’m focusing on refining NGTs for higher precision and broader application, including homology-directed sequence integrations into the potato genome, aiming at an enhanced starch quality tailored to specific industrial applications. Additionally, I am exploring the application of NGTs in the industrial oil crop Camelina sativa, aiming at an enhanced accumulation of medium-size fatty acids in the seed lipids.  

Key Research Interests

Genome editing in crops (CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPR/Cas12a, RNP)

Homology-directed repair (HDR) and precision gene editing

Starch biosynthesis

Public acceptance and regulation of NGT-derived crops

Starch is the principal storage carbohydrate in plants, accumulating in amyloplasts of seeds and storage organs, like tubers. Storage starch serves in human nutrition and industrial applications, and potatoes are among the most significant starch sources globally. My research focuses on developing biotechnological strategies to improve starch quality and accumulation in potato tubers, by exploring the molecular mechanisms governing its biosynthesis. I am employing NGTs like gene editing to deciphering the genetic networks involved in starch synthesis. Furthermore, I use a transgene-free approach for gene editing based on the isolation and transfection of potato protoplasts, followed by plant regeneration, which offers an effective breeding tool for obtaining varieties with novel starch qualities tailored to industrial applications. 

I participate as lecturer in the course Plant Growth and Development from the MSc program in Plant Biology for Sustainable Production, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. 

Supervised students

·       Isak Källström Alexandersson, MSc student assistant supervisor, Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2025 – Present

·       Luboš Říha, doctoral student assistant supervisor, Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2024 – Present

·       Felix Gerlam, BSc student assistant supervisor, Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2025

·       Jenny Tyllström, MSc research training course main supervisor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2024 – 2025

·       Madeléne Strandberg, MSc research training course main supervisor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2024

·       Martina Ferrero, visiting PhD student assistant supervisor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2024

2025

González MN, Salaria N, Friberg M, Liu Y, Alverup J, Andersson M and Hofvander P (2025) Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) donor repair templates and CRISPR/Cas9 enable a high-frequency of targeted insertions in potato. Front. Genome Ed. 7:1661829. doi: 10.3389/fgeed.2025.1661829

Decima Oneto CA, Massa GA, Echarte L, Rey Burusco MF, González MN, Alfonso CS, et al. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of CBP80 enhances drought tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Front Plant Sci. 2025;16:1598947.

Massa GA, Decima Oneto CA, González MN, Poulsen Hornum A, Arizmendi A, Sucar S, et al. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Development of Potato Varieties with Long-Term Cold Storage and Bruising Resistance. Biology (Basel). 2025;14(4).

2023

González MN, Massa GA, Andersson M, Storani L, Olsson N, Decima Oneto CA, et al. CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Potato Functional Genomics and Breeding. Methods Mol Biol. 2023;2653:333-61.

2022

Nahirnak V, Almasia NI, González MN, Massa GA, Decima Oneto CA, Feingold SE, et al. State of the Art of Genetic Engineering in Potato: From the First Report to Its Future Potential. Front Plant Sci. 2022;12:768233.

2021

González MN, Massa GA, Andersson M, Oneto CAD, Turesson H, Storani L, et al. Comparative potato genome editing: Agrobacterium tumefaciens‑mediated transformation and protoplasts transfection delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 components directed to StPPO2 gene. Plant Cell Tiss Org. 2021;145(2):291-305.

Zhao X, Jayarathna S, Turesson H, Falt AS, Nestor G, González MN, et al. Amylose starch with no detectable branching developed through DNA-free CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis of two starch branching enzymes in potato. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):4311.

Bottero E, Massa G, González M, Stritzler M, Tajima H, Gómez C, et al. Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing in Alfalfa Using a Public Germplasm. Front Agron. 2021;3.

2020

González MN, Massa GA, Andersson M, Turesson H, Olsson N, Falt AS, et al. Reduced Enzymatic Browning in Potato Tubers by Specific Editing of a Polyphenol Oxidase Gene via Ribonucleoprotein Complexes Delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 System. Front Plant Sci. 2020;10:1649.