Keni Keni Cota Ruiz, Ph.D.
Biography
I obtained my Ph.D. from the Research Center for Food and Development in Mexico in 2016. After that, I conducted thorough postdoctoral training at The University of Texas at El Paso from 2017 to 2021 and at Michigan State University from 2021 to 2023. My collective experiences shaped my research and mentoring perspective. I joined the faculty of the Biology Department at Utica University in 2023.
Opportunities for Student Research and Collaboration
At my lab, students have the exciting opportunity to learn the basic principles and practices of cultivating plants in different matrices (e.g., soil, agar, and hydroponics). Since our work explores the mechanistic responses of plants to abiotic stressors, students will gain insights into several biochemical and molecular biology approaches at different levels as demanded by their projects, including cutting-edge techniques and technologies such as transcriptomics, soil genomics, gene expression analysis, and spectroscopic approaches, among others. Furthermore, students are highly encouraged, guided, and trained to present their findings at local, national, and/or international conferences and prepare manuscripts for publication consideration when pertinent. Finally, I am always happy to collaborate as I believe that multidisciplinarity and the use of diverse approaches strengthen the process of science and the robustness of research.
Education
B.S. in Biotechnology Engineering - Sonora Institute of Technology, Mexico
M.S. in Biochemistry - Northwest Biological Research Center, Mexico
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology - Research Center for Food and Development, Mexico
Postdoctoral - The University of Texas at El Paso and Michigan State University
Research
With the continuous growth of the world population, food production progressively relies on agriculture. Crops face additional and increasing pressure from biotic and abiotic stressors such as climate change, excess agrochemicals, pests, diseases, and soil salinization, making food security more challenging and complex. From our recent research findings and other investigations, it has been shown that foliar- or soil-applied nanomaterials (NMs) enhance agricultural production in environments with salt concentrations in excess. Moreover, phytochromes (Phys) and zinc finger proteins (ZFPs), known as master regulators of plant morphogenesis, have recently been linked and thus implicated in regulating plant development. My research, which is interdisciplinary, draws on the fields of nanotechnology, plant biology, and molecular biology to focus on elucidating the integrative role of NMs, Phys, and ZFPs in improving plant productivity and explaining how NMs modulate crop physiological performance both under salt stress conditions.
Publications
Deng, C., Wang, Y., Castillo, C., Zhao, Y., Xu, W., Lian, J., Rodriguez-Otero, K., Brown, H.J., Cota-Ruiz, K., Elmer, W.H., …, and White, J. C. 2024. Nanoscale Iron (Fe3O4) Surface Charge Controls Fusarium Suppression and Nutrient Accumulation in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 12, 35, 13285–13296.
Sahito, Z. A., Benavides-Mendoza, A., and Cota-Ruiz, K. 2024. Plant responses to salt stress. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1475599.
Ye, Y., Cota-Ruiz, K., and Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2023. Plant–nano interactions: lessons learned from 15 years of nanophytotoxicity studies. In: Zhang and Lynch (Ed) Nano-Enabled Sustainable and Precision Agriculture, Academic Press 275-292.
Nunez-Gastelum, J. A., Arguijo-Sustaita, A. A., Lopez-Diaz, J. A., Diaz-Sanchez, A. G., Hernandez-Pena, C. C., & Cota-Ruiz, K. 2023. Seed germination and sprouts production of Moringa oleifera: A potential functional food? Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 22(4), 223-230.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Valdes, C., Flores, K., Yuqing, Y., Cantu, J. and Gardea-Torresdey, J., 2022. Physiological and molecular responses of plants exposed to engineered nanomaterials. In: Rico, C., (Ed.) Plant Exposure to Engineered Nanoparticles. Academic Press 171-194.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Oh, S., & Montgomery, B. L. 2022. Phytochrome-Dependent Regulation of ZFP6 and ZFPH Impacts Photomorphogenesis inArabidopsis thaliana. Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 846262.
Apodaca, S.A., Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernandez-Viezcas, J.A. and Gardea-Torresdey, J.L., 2022. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Alleviate Phytotoxic Effects of Copper-Based Nanoparticles/Compounds in Spearmint (Mentha spicata). ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 2 (3), 661–670.
Deng, C., Wang, Y., Cantu, J.M., Valdes, C., Navarro, G., Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernandez-Viezcas, J.A., Li, C., Elmer, W.H., Dimkpa, C.O. and White, J.C., 2022. Soil and foliar exposure of soybean (Glycine max) to Cu: Nanoparticle coating-dependent plant responses. NanoImpact 26, 100406.
Cantu, J. M., Ye, Y., Valdes, C., Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., & Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2022. Citric Acid-Functionalized CuO Nanoparticles Alter Biochemical Responses in Candyland Red Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 2 (2), 359-370.
Deng, C., Wang, Y., Navarro, G., Sun, Y., Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., ... & Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2022. Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles affect yield, nutritional quality, and auxin associated gene expression in weedy and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) grains. Science of The Total Environment 810, 152260.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Valdes, C., Ye, Y., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2021. Responses of terrestrial plants to metallic nanomaterial exposure: Mechanistic insights, emerging technologies, and new research avenues. In: Sharma, N., Sahi, S. (Eds.) Nanomaterials Biointeractions: At the Cellular, Tissue and Organismal Level. Springer-Nature 165-192.
Rawat, S., Cota Ruiz, K., Dou, H., Pullagurala, V. L. R., Zuverza-Mena, N., White, J. C., Niu, G., Sharma, N., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2021.Soil-Weathered CuO Nanoparticles Compromise Foliar Health and Pigment Production in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) Environmental Science & Technology 55, 13504-13512.
Wang, Y., Chen, S., Deng, C., Shi, X., Cota-Ruiz, K., White, J. C., Zhao, L., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2021. Metabolomic analysis reveals dose-dependent alteration of maize (Zea mays L.) metabolites and mineral nutrient profiles upon exposure to zerovalent iron nanoparticles. Nanoimpact 23, 100336.
Wang, Y., Deng, C., Rawat, S., Cota-Ruiz, K.,Medina-Velo, I., Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2021. Evaluation of the Effects of Nanomaterials on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Responses: Underlining the Benefits of Nanotechnology for Agricultural Applications. ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 1 (2), 44-54.
Ye, Y, Cota-Ruiz, K., Cantu, J., Valdes, C., Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2021. Engineered Nanomaterials’ Fate Assessment in Biological Matrices: Recent Milestones in Electron Microscopy. ACS Sustainable and Engineering 9 (12), 4341-4356.
Hernández-Aguirre, L. E., Cota Ruiz, K., Peregrino-Uriarte, A. B., Gómez-Jiménez, S., Yepiz-Plascencia, G. 2021. The gluconeogenic glucose-6-phosphatase gene is expressed during oxygen-limited conditions in the white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei: Molecular cloning, membrane protein modeling and transcript modulation in gills and hepatopancreas. Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes 53 (4), 449-461.
Wang, Y., Deng, C., Cota-Ruiz, K., Peralta-Videa, Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2021. Soil-aged nano titanium dioxide effects on full-grown carrot: Dose and surface-coating dependent improvements on growth and nutrient quality. Science of the Total Environment 774, 145699.
Wang, Y., Deng, J., Cota-Ruiz, K., Tan, W., Reyes, A., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Li, C., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2021. Effects of different surface-coated nTiO2 on full-grown carrot plants: Impacts on root splitting, essential elements, and Ti uptake. Journal of Hazardous Materials 402, 123768.
Valdes, C., Cota-Ruiz, K., Flores, K., Ye, Y., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2020. Antioxidant and defense genetic expressions in corn at early-developmental stage are differentially modulated by copper form exposure (nano, bulk, ionic): Nutrient and physiological effects. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 206, 111197.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Ye, Y., Valdes, C., Deng, C., Wang, Y., Hernandez-Viezcas, Duarte-Gardea, M., Gardea-Torresdey J. 2020. Copper Nanowires as Nanofertilizers for Alfalfa Plants: Understanding Nano-Bio Systems Interactions from Microbial Genomics, Plant Molecular Responses and Spectroscopic Studies. Science of the Total Environment 742, 140572.
Deng, C., Wang, Y., Cota-Ruiz, K., Reyes, A., Sun, Y., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Turley, R., Niu, G., Li., C., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2020. Bok choy (Brassica rapa) grown in copper oxide nanoparticles-amended soils exhibits toxicity in a phenotype-dependent manner: Translocation, biodistribution and nutritional disturbance. Journal of Hazardous Materials 398, 122978.
Wang, Y., Deng, C., Cota-Ruiz, K., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Sun, Y., Rawat, S., Tan, W., Reyes, A., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Niu, G., Li, C., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2020. Improvement of Nutrient Elements and Allicin Content in Green Onion (Allium fistulosum) Plants Exposed to CuO Nanoparticles. Science of the Total Environment 725, 138387.
Tamez, C., Hernandez, M., Medina-Velo, I. A., Cota-Ruiz. K., Hernandez-Viezcas, J., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2020. Long-term assessment of nano and bulk copper compound exposure in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum). Science of the Total Environment 718, 137318.
Ye, Y., Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernández-Viezcas, J. A., Valdés, C., Aidee-Medina, I. A., Turley, R., Peralta-Videa, J. R. Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2020. Manganese Nanoparticles Control Salinity-Modulated Molecular Responses in Capsicum annuum L. through Priming: A Sustainable Approach for Agriculture. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 8 (3), 1427-1436.
Nunez-Gastélum, J. A., Hernandez-Carreon, S., Delgado-Rios, M., Flores-Marguez, J. P., Meza-Montenegro, M. M., Osorio-Rosas, C., Cota-Ruiz, K., Gardea-Torresdey., J. L. 2019. Study of Organochlorine Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Soils of the Juarez Valley: An Important Agricultural Region between Mexico and the USA. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26 (36), 36401-36409.
Ye, Y., Medina-Velo, I. A., Cota-Ruiz, K., Moreno-Olivas, F., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2019. Can Abiotic Stresses in Plants be Alleviated by Manganese Nanoparticles or Compounds? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 184, 109671.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Lopez de los Santos, Y., Hernandez-Viezcas, J. A., Delgado-Rios, M., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. 2019. A Comparative Metagenomic and Spectroscopic Analysis of Soils from an International Point of Entry between the US and Mexico. Environmental International 123, 558-566.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Hernández-Viezcas, J. A., Varela-Ramírez, A., Valdes, C., Nunez-Gastelum, J. A., Martinez-Martinez, A., Delgado-Rios, M., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2018. Toxicity of copper hydroxide nanoparticles, bulk copper hydroxide, and ionic copper to alfalfa plants: A spectroscopic and gene expression study. Environmental Pollution 243, 703-712.
Cota-Ruiz K, Delgado-Rios, M., Martinez-Martinez, A., Nunez-Gastelum, J. A., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. 2018.Current Findings on Terrestrial Plants - Engineered Nanomaterial Interactions: Are Plants Capable of Phytoremediating Nanomaterials from Soil? Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 6, 9-15.
Reyes-Ramos C. A., Peregrino-Uriarte A. B., Cota-Ruiz K., Valenzuela-Soto E. M., Leyva-Carrillo L., Yepiz-Plascencia G. 2018. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms are expressed and active during hypoxia in the white shrimp Litopenaeusvannamei. Comparative Biochemistry Physiology B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 226, 1-9.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Leyva-Carrillo, L., Peregrino-Uriarte, A. B., Valenzuela-Soto, E. M., Gollas-Galván, T., Gómez-Jiménez, S., Hernández, J., Yepiz-Plascencia, G. 2016. Role of HIF-1 on phosphofructokinase and fructose 1, 6-bisphosphatase expression during hypoxia in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 198, 1-7.
Cota-Ruiz, K., Peregrino-Uriarte, A. B., Felix-Portillo, M., Martinez-Quintana, J. A., Yepiz-Plascencia, G. 2015. Expression of fructose 1, 6-bisphosphatase and phosphofructokinase is induced in hepatopancreas of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannameiby hypoxia. Marine Environmental Research 106, 1-9.
García-Carreño, F. L., Cota, K., Navarrete del Toro, M. A. 2008. Phenoloxidase activity of hemocyanin in whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei: conversion, characterization of catalytic properties, and role in postmortem melanosis. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 56 (15), 6454-6459.
Courses Taught
BIO 105 Fundamentals of Biology (Lecture and lab)
BIO 231 Research Methods I
BIO 232 Research Methods II
BIO 211 General Biology I (Lab)
BIO 453 Molecular Biology (lecture and lab) (to be taught in spring 2025)
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