I am a Research Scientist at the ICM-CSIC with a wide experience in marine microbial ecology, with special focus on protist ecology and evolution. My broad research line is the study of the phylogenetic and functional diversity of marine microbes. This exploration is conducted by applying simultaneously several tools, such as sequencing of environmental rDNA genes, metagenomics, single cell genomics, FISH specific countings and experiments. I am particularly interested in opening the black box of heterotrophic flagellates and exploring the role of these unpigmented protists in marine food webs as bacterial grazers and nutrient remineralizers. I am the Coordinator of the group “Ecology and Genomics of Marine Microorganisms” that integrates about 25 people at the ICM with the common umbrella of understanding the biodiversity and functioning of marine microbial plankton. This group is the responsible for monitoring at the Blanes Bay Microbial Observatory, NW Mediterranean Coast, which operates continuously since 2001. My more than 30 years of expertise have resulted in the publication of 145 scientific papers (H index of 58), the invitations to international meetings and the lead of several international and Spanish research projects.
