Melisa is from Argentina. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s studies in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology at the National University of La Plata (UNLP). She then carried out her PhD in Biological Sciences at the Plant Physiology Institute (INFIVE-UNLP-CONICET), under the supervision of Dr. Andrea Galatro, focusing on how nitric oxide and phytohormone signalling mediate plant responses to phosphorus restriction in soybean and Arabidopsis plants. She joined the Legris lab in June 2026 as a postdoctoral researcher, where she investigates how environmental temperature regulates shoot apical meristem activity and leaf production rate in Arabidopsis thaliana. Beyond science, Melisa enjoys drawing by the lake, hitting the gym at 6am before the lab, and running a book club with friends – all of it, ideally, accompanied by mate.