I have a degree in Biology from the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and a PhD in Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). I completed my postdoctoral training at the University of the Azores in 2007 and in the same year I joined the Autonomous University of Barcelona as a professor. I was Coordinator of the UAB-UB Master’s in Biological Anthropology (2014-2022) and Coordinator of the UAB Biology Degree (2021-2023). I am currently Vice-Dean of Academic Affairs and Quality at the Faculty of Biosciences UAB.
I have participated in the research team of 24 competitive research projects and coordinated research contracts with companies. I have directed 5 doctoral theses already completed, and I am currently directing 3 more. I have also supervised 39 Master’s Theses. I have participated in more than 100 publications and in the editing of the books “Recent Advances in Molecular Biology and Evolution: Applications to Biological Anthropology” and “Genomic Approaches in Biological Anthropology: New challenges, new chances“.
Main areas of research
- Evolutionary dynamics of mitochondrial DNA: somatic and germline heteroplasmy, recombination of human mitochondrial DNA and nuclear insertions of mitochondrial origin.
- Influence of mitochondrial DNA mutations in the aging process and in the development of diseases, specifically in cancer and late-onset neurodegenerative diseases.
- Genetic characterization of current and ancient human populations with the aim of inferring which historical, demographic and microevolutionary factors have influenced the structure and diversity of human populations.
- Genomic techniques to study skeletal remains from different chronologies of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands and also with the aim of identifying viruses, bacteria and protozoa that can have an impact on health and the cause of death.
- Genetic identification of victims of the Civil War of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.