Our group lies at the intersection of computational and structural biology, genomics and plant breeding and stems from the Genetics and Plant Breeding and Plant Biology departments. Our main activities are the development of software and databases for the analysis of genomic and agroclimatic data, as well as structural and evolutionary studies of protein families. We collaborate with research groups from EEAD-CSIC, different universities and CSIC connections Life Hub and BCB.

Plant Breeding and Bank germplasm conservation of fruit tree species from the Rosaceae family (Prunus and Malus): i) Breeding and selection of Prunus rootstocks and peach cultivars with good organoleptic properties and well adapted to the Mediterranean fruit growing areas; ii) Development of multidisciplinary techniques to be applied in Breeding Mass Selection; and iii) Conservation and characterization of genetic resources in fruit trees (apple, peach and Prunus rootstocks).

Research topics of the group are: i) water erosion and soil and nutrient redistribution (C and N); ii) erosion factors (soil types, land use, rainfall erosivity); and iii) agroclimatology and hydrologic resources in the agriculture. The group uses a variety of methods including soil characterization and mapping, isotopic and nuclear analysis, field process monitoring, and numerical simulation.

The fundamental objective of our group is to deepen our understanding of the molecular machinery of the hypoxia response. Specifically, we seek to identify, using a combination of bioinformatic and molecular biology techniques, the complement of genes induced by hypoxia through HIF and to characterise its function in the response to hypoxia.

Bioinformatics and computational biology: development and implementation of methods for the analysis of high-throughput data, mainly in evolutionary biology of cancer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) allow non-invasive visualization of physiological and pathological processes at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels, providing the most complete characterization available of healthy and diseased phenotypes. Our group develops and evaluates new advanced biomedical spectroscopy and imaging methodologies for the diagnosis and monitoring of therapies in the most prevalent diseases, including: cancer, ischemic pathologies, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerations, diabetes, obesity and neuroinflammatory diseases.

The close relationship between metabolism and the immune system (immunometabolism) plays an essential role in the development of insulin resistance and T2DM associated with obesity states. Changes in the intestinal microbiota that occur in obese individuals are the first trigger of chronic low-grade inflammation that alters the functions of the tissues responsible for the control of the body's glucose homeostasis.

The research activity of our group is focused on the identification of new genes responsible for rare developmental disorders and the study of the underlying molecular physiopathology. We aim to improve diagnosis of rare diseases and provide information that can be useful for the innovation of new therapies.

The group studies minerals of environmental and biogenic origin, historical specimens and meteorites with MNCN techniques (ESEM-EDS-WDS-BS-CL; CLSM; Raman-PL; XRD; XRF, DTA-TG, PSD; AA; MO; SM , G, IR, CT-Scan). Analytical routines and patterns are developed for the study of Raman spectra and luminescence techniques. We study speciation and geochemical transformations of metals in natural and antropogenic environments. We focus on the study of sorption reactions and the formation of new minerals that result in the natural or assisted attenuation of contaminant in soils and sediments.