Microbial Interactions and Ecology Lab
Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology UCM Group -910672-
Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology UCM Group -910672-
We are a research group based in the Complutense university of Madrid (Spain). Thus, we have a strong commitment with young researchers training, so we used to host scientists from undergraduate to postdoc levels. We are always open to receive new people in our growing lab, specially researchers interested in microbial ecology, microbial interaction networks and microbial metabolism from genomics to phenomics.
Antonio Santos
Full professor
About myself: As Full Professor at the Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology of the Complutense University of Madrid, my research line is mainly focused in yeast physiology and genetics. My current projects concern molecular, physiological and ecological aspects of the complex microbial communities inhabiting different environments such as vineyard soils, wine fermentations and wastewater treatment plants.
Contact: ansantos@ucm.es
Profiles: ResearchGate | Google Scholar | ORCID
Lucía Arregui
Associate professor
About myself: Throughout my teaching and research career, I've developed an intense research activity in the field of wastewater treatment processes and the ecology of aquatic environments. My doctoral thesis project dealt with the cytology and ultrastructure of the psychrophilic protist Euplotes focardii. From that moment until now, my studies have addressed the different problems existing in several natural and artificial aquatic environments with a special focus on the role of microorganisms in wastewater purification owning an especial interest in biofilm related processes.
Contact: arregui@ucm.es
Profiles: | ORCID |
Domingo Marquina
Full professor. Associate Dean for Students
About myself: I received my undergraduate education at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), where I also undertook my PhD in fungal metabolism. Then, I joined a postdoctoral European grant at Fundación Caloustre Gulbenkian (Portugal), under the mentorship of Dra. Isabel Spencer-Martins, working in yeast taxonomy and physiology. Upon returning to UCM, I began my independent career, focusing my research on the biology of killer toxins in yeasts. Now, I work in the search of yeasts for improved winemaking and the development of biological tools for controlling biofouling in WWTPs. During 2019-20, I was Head of the UCM Research Results Transfer Office (OTRI).
Contact: dommarq@ucm.es
Profiles: Google Scholar | ORCID
Ignacio Belda
Associate professor
About myself: With a research background in wine yeasts physiology, I am currently interested in microbial interaction patterns and its role in complex ecosystem performance. Trying to understand the role of keystone species in complex anthropogenic microbial ecosystems, I always try to understand the lifestyle of microbes under an evolutionary perspective.
Contact: ignaciobelda@ucm.es
Profiles: ResearchGate | Google Scholar | ORCID | Twitter
Javier Ruiz
Assistant Professor
About myself: I am a Biologist and Microbiologist at Complutense University of Madrid. Since my first steps of my scientific career I´ve had a strong interest in evolution, finding yeasts as perfect models to study it at the genomic and phenomic levels.
Contact: javiru02@ucm.es
Profiles: ResearchGate | Google Scholar | ORCID | Twitter
Javier Vicente
PhD candidate
About myself: Biologist and microbiologist formed at Complutense University of Madrid. Studying non-Saccharomyces yeasts physiology and evolution. Now focused in the implications of lactic acid production in Lachancea thermotolerans from a phylofuntional point of view.
Contact: javievic@ucm.es
Profiles: ResearchGate | Google Scholar | ORCID | Twitter
Sergio Izquierdo Gea
PhD candidate
About myself: I began my research career in the field of molecular biology, with a focus on genetic engineering of yeasts for applications in biomedicine. After completing a project on transcriptional activation in bacteria using CRISPR systems, I am now pursuing my thesis project. The aim of this project is to investigate the ecological context of the non-conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, with the ultimate goal of facilitating biotechnological applications of this microorganism.
Contact: sergiz01@ucm.es
Belén Benítez-Domínguez
Graduate Student (now at Alvaro Sanchez lab, IBFG-CSIC)
About myself: I graduated in Biotechnology and worked with S. cerevisiae throughout my Bachelor and Thesis at the Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD). I am currently finishing my Msc in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology while working at the Microbial Interactions and Ecology Lab. Now I am working on my Master's Thesis, in which I will determine the role of the microorganism community composition and fermentation conditions in the metabolic profiling of wines.
Contact: belbendom@gmail.com
Profiles: Linkedin
Miguel de Celis
Postdoctoral Researcher (now at García-Palacios lab, ICA-CSIC)
About myself: Despite my microbiology formation, I am focused in microbial ecology, mainly of wastewater, giving a great importance to bioinformatic tools.
Contact: migueldc@ucm.es
Profiles: ResearchGate | Google Scholar | ORCID