Interests
My interests are mainly focused in the analysis of transcriptomics and epigenomics data, as well as in software and pipeline development. Currently, I am interested in small RNAs, more specifically piRNAs.
On the other hand, I declare myself as an R and R Markdown lover, but I am in an open relationship with them, so I am eager to learn and use other languages such as Bash and Python.
Academic career
I began my journey in science with a BSc in Biotechnology, during which I did a professional internship in a company dedicated to molecular and microbial analyses of food and water for pathogen detection and food forensics. I carried the bachelor’s thesis in the same company by analyzing the effects of butyrate in the microbial composition of the illeal mucosa of colorectal cancer patients submitted to a colectomy and ileostomy.
After graduating, I studied a MSc in Molecular Genetics, where I initiated to bioinformatics. During the thesis, I spent the whole year studying the role of the protein Xrn1 in nucleosome architecture and gene transcription in budding yeast.
Then, I enrolled on a MSc in Bioinformatics in which I am learning the basic tools and statistical knowledge behind the analyses of large amounts of biological data.
In 2019 I moved to Milan where I worked as a bioinformatician for two years. There, I collaborated in several projects studying epigenetic mechanisms and signaling pathways -mainly Wnt/\(\beta\)catenin- underlying cell differentiation and oncogenesis.
After two years, in 2021, I returned to Catalunya to continue my career in bioinformatics at the Regulatory Genomics group in the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, where I completed my master’s thesis and I worked as a computational biologist.
Recently, I have been awarded the INPhINIT Incoming PhD fellowship from LaCaixa and I will start my PhD in Bioinformatics in the same group and topic.
Outside of academia
As a plus, I have been an active member from the Associació de Biotecnòlegs de Catalunya (ASBTEC) -an association dedicated to promotion of the biotechnologists in the Catalan society- since 2018 (and board member from 2019 to 2022), collaborating in the organization of diverse Biotechnology-related events (e.g. job search, entrepreneurship, outreach, different research topics…) and leading the team in charge of communication through social networks, our webpage and other activities.
Furthermore, one of my hobbies is communicating science and, for this reason, I started BioBit, a blog dedicated to spread Bioinformatics, although its main goal is to study about what I write. Also, I started Perill Biologic, another blog to disseminate basic Biology in Catalan.
Recently, I have been involved in outreach activities organized by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute
In sport
On the other hand, during most of my academic career, I have combined the science studies with high-level training and competition in rowing, achieving excellent results in both, national and international competitions.
I started rowing in 2007 and my first international competition was La Coupe de la Jeunesse in 2011. In 2013, in competed in my first World Rowing Under-23 Championship in the lightweight men’s single scull (BLM1x), in which I finished in the first position of the Final D (19th). In 2016, together with my double mate, I missed the Olympic qualification for only one place and, after that, we became World Rowing Under-23 Champions in the lightweight men’s double scull (BLM2x). After many years training at my highest level, I left elite rowing in 2019, after being 7th in the European Rowing Championship, just before moving to Milan to work as a bioinformatician.
In the two years I was in Milan, i didn’t compete, but I have now returned to row at local level, as well as to practice other sports. Indeed, I have recently completed my first half marathon and I am training to participate in some trail running competitions.