Since January 2025 - Staff Scientist, Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
2018-2024 - Postdoctoral researcher, Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
2014-2018 - International professional experience outside academia
2014 - PhD, Cell and Developmental Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain

Summary

The spindle is a dynamic microtubule structure that ensures accurate chromosome segregation during mitotic and meiotic cell division. Errors in spindle assembly can lead to chromosome missegregation and aneuploidy, hallmarks of cancer, infertility, and other severe diseases.

The work in our lab focuses on understanding how microtubule-associated proteins and their regulators self-organize with dynamic microtubules to build the spindle, with particular emphasis on the roles of acentrosomal microtubules and tubulin post-translational modifications.

We primarily use Xenopus laevis egg extracts, which provide a large, naturally arrested mitotic cytoplasm that allows us to reconstitute key aspects of spindle assembly in a physiologically relevant environment. These studies are complemented with experiments in human tissue culture cells, where we validate our findings in a cellular context.