Staff directory

Evolution and systematics of spiders

Biological and ecological studies of large marine vertebrates (Chondrichthyes, chelonian, cetacean and pinniped) focused on management and conservation of populations.

Comparative genomics approaches that allow us to study the origin of families of genes and proteins, and to infer functional innovations during evolution. The origin and evolution of the signaling pathway by retinoic acid, the route of steroids, or the DNA methylation machinery in metazoans have been the subject of our studies.

Phylogenetic and population genetics studies of bacteria and in particular those of interest in the field of Health.

The lab is interested in understanding how gene networks evolved in order to give rise to new organs and structures that favoured the radiation of insects. The mayfly species Cloeon dipterum is a privileged model to study evolutionary novelties.

I am interested in taphonomy, paleoecology and paleoentomology. My current research is focused on the study of Early Cretaceous amber and fossil insects from the Iberian Peninsula.

Research in Andorran ethnobotany and phylogeny of the Pyrenees of Catalan-speaking territories.

Stefano Ambroso is going to study marine biology at the University of Trieste (Italy) and is going to license in December 2010 with the presentation of the research project “Spatial distribution patterns of the soft corals Alcyonium acaule and Alcyonium palmatum in coastal bottoms (Cap de Creus, north-west). Mediterrani Sea). CSIC. Its research activity is related to ecology and the spatial distribution patterns of benthic communities. It has participated in numerous marine research projects (MAPUCHE, BENTOLARV, LIFE-INDEMARES, ECOSAFIMED, RESCAP and MITICAP) related to conservation. and management of the Mediterranean coastal zones. The doctoral thesis will be carried out under the direction of Josep Maria Gili and Nuria Teixidó Ullod. The doctoral project aimed to understand the structure and dynamics of the Antarctic macrobenthonic communities dominated by long-lived species of the Weddell Sea Currently you have a postdoctoral position at the University of Barcelona, the project aims to understand the population dynamics of deep benthic communities using remotely operated vehicles (ROV).

Dr. Laura Armengot is a biologist, with a PhD in agroecology. Her main expertise is in the field of sustainable agricultural practices, including organic farming and agroforestry systems. She has worked in Mediterranean, temperate and tropical regions developing and assessing innovative management strategies for organic farmers in topics such as weed control, carbon sequestration and efficient use of resources.

Arthropod systematics and evolution, with special interest in spiders and their kind. Molecular tools for arthropod inventorying and monitoring and conservation.

Molecular ecologists interested on marine ecosystems with experience in population genomic and metagenomics studies. My current research line is focused on the adaptation or/and phenotic plasticity of marine invertebrates to climate change using natural gradients.

Predoctoral Researcher in Marine Sciences at the University of Barcelona. I study molecular eukaryotic biodiversity patterns in shallow hard‐bottom Antarctic benthic communities using DNA metabarcoding.

The two main areas of my research are marine chemical ecology (natural products benthic invertebrates temperate, tropical and polar) and integrated coastal zone management (use of benthic invertebrates as indicators of environmental conditions in coastal management processes).

I am currently working at the Institute of Marine Sciences of Barcelona (ICM-CSIC) and the University of Barcelona (UB). My research is focused on the effect of ocean acidification on Antarctic marine calcifiers.

Evolutionary dynamics and specificity of the symbiosis between vertebrates and intestinal microbiota. The role of diet, genotype and geography in the dynamics of the microbiota, as well as the role of the microbial communities in the process of ecological adaptation of the host, are examined. Adaptive radiation is used as models for African and Central American cichlid fish and for lizards on the Balearic Islands.

During my early career, as graduated in Marine Biology and a master in Marine Ecology, I have mainly studied how environmental variability modulates biochemical and reproductive adaptations in different species of marine invertebrates. Furthermore, I am currently conducting my PhD thesis about potential effects of glacial melt and retreat on different ecological characteristics of Antarctic marine benthic communities.

My major research line focuses on the study of mechanisms that determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of ecosystems, and especially the influence of disturbances and their interactions on the resilience of Mediterranean ecosystems in relation to species climatic niche.

Icnology, Tafonomy, Palaeontology

Field of research: Ecophysiology and diversity of complex natural ecosystems (e.g., microbial tapestries and intestinal tract of xylophagous insects) and simple systems, such as the study of biofilm formation in in vitro cultures using a single bacterial strain.