DNA Double Strand breaks are the most citotoxic DNA lesions. When left completely unrepaired they cause cellular and embryonic lethality. However, mutations that affect but not block their repair cause an increase in genomic instability, a driving force in cancer development and the molecular root of several rare genetic diseases. The phenotypes associated to defective DNA double starnd break repair vary enormously. DNA double strand breaks are repaired basically by two alternative pathways that compete for the same substrate.

Microtubule (MT) nucleation, the event that initiates de novo formation of MTs, is a highly regulated process that enables cells to acquire specific architectures and to promptly respond to any cellular change. The centrosome and the Golgi Apparatus (GA) are the two major MT-organising centres (MTOCs) in cells, and increasing evidence underpins the idea that there is a high degree of coordination and crosstalk between their activities along the cell cycle and during cell differentiation.

One of the great challenges of the current Animal Health is to preserve the welfare and health of the animals; monitor the production of healthy foods; prevent the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to humans; and monitor the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes.

The group is specialized in the Astrophysics area of "Formation and Evolution of Galaxies". The main focus is the study of different galaxy types observed across the history of the Universe. This research is based on data obtained with ground based and spatial telescopes, optimized in X rays, optical, infrarred and millimetric. The group also have an important implication in technological projects of astronomical instrumentation, both spatial and ground based.

Activities related to the observation, study, and modeling of the various phases and processes associated with the formation and evolution of stars, brown dwarfs, and planets. Characterization of the physical properties of these objects.

The Virtual Observatory (VO) group at CAB (http://sdc.cab.inta-csic.es) has a long experience in the development and operation of astronomical archives.

Prebiotic Evolution is the first step in the emergence of life; it encompasses all the natural physico-chemical processes that occur within a given planetary environment starting from its formation, up until the emergence of the first self-replicating systems on which the Darwinian Process can begin to operate.