Kort præsentation

About Me

I am a Catalan biologist, born in Barcelona, and moved to Denmark in 1997. I live here with my family and have built both my personal and professional life in Denmark.

My academic background is in Genetics and Molecular Biology. I graduated in Biology from the University of Barcelona in 1990 and completed my PhD there in 1997, specializing in Population Genetics of Drosophila. Following my PhD, I carried out several postdoctoral projects in Barcelona and Denmark, including at the University of Copenhagen (KU) and the former Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL). Through these positions, I developed a broad research profile spanning molecular biology, comparative genomics, functional genomics, and bioinformatics.

Over the years, I have acquired extensive hands-on experience with a wide range of molecular and genomic technologies, including DNA and RNA sequencing, gene cloning, gene expression analysis, qPCR, microarray technologies, and next-generation sequencing, together with basic bioinformatics. I have worked with a diverse range of model and domestic species, including Drosophila, humans, plants, pigs, dogs, cats, horses, zebrafish, and laying hens. This breadth has given me a strong appreciation for the value of comparative approaches in understanding biological processes and disease.

Today, my research is strongly focused on comparative genomics and translational animal research. I actively participate in projects using the pig as a model for understanding human obesity, and I collaborate closely with small animal clinics on projects investigating microRNAs as potential biomarkers of disease in dogs, cats, and horses.

I am also involved in Horizon Europe 2027, particularly within EUPAHW, where my work focuses on animal health and welfare. In collaboration with research groups at KU, I contribute to projects investigating biomarkers of social stress in zebrafish and keelbone fractures in laying hens.

Beyond research, I greatly enjoy the academic and collaborative aspects of my work. I contribute to teaching on several courses at the University of Copenhagen and supervise students and researchers at Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, and postdoctoral levels. I particularly enjoy supporting early-career researchers and helping them to move forward and find new oportunities.

I am also happy to share my expertise with colleagues working in microRNA research, RNA isolation, and gene expression analysis. If you are working on a project where my experience could be useful, please feel free to get in touch—I am always happy to discuss ideas, troubleshoot experiments, or explore potential collaborations.

In addition to my research and teaching activities, I serve as a member of the PhD Study Board at SUND, University of Copenhagen, and as a member of the Faculty Board at IVH institute.

Throughout my career, I have been particularly motivated by interdisciplinary collaboration, the exchange of knowledge, and the opportunity to apply molecular and genomic technologies to relevant biological and biomedical questions. I value being part of a research community where expertise is shared openly and where collaboration can lead to new ideas and meaningful scientific advances.

Primære forskningsområder

• Molecular biology
• Genetics
• Mammalian Genomics
• Gene expression
• Profiling microRNAs as disease biomarkers 
• Pig as a model for obesity

Aktuel forskning

• Revealing the role of ncRNAs in disease with special focus in microRNAs.

MicroRNAs have recently emerged as powerful regulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level and play important roles in many biological processes and in disease. The rapid pace of the emerging field of microRNAs has open new avenues for development of suitable techniques to quantitatively determine microRNAs expression level in different model systems. We have developed a new qPCR assay to specifically quantify the amount of microRNAs in different tissue samples. Furthermore, the next-generation sequencing technique provides us with profiles of microRNAs expressed in biological samples and allows the discovery of novel ncRNAs. The microRNAs differentially expressed in disease could be promising diagnostic markers in the near future.

 I am involved in several projects:

1) Discovering fecal microRNA expression profiles as biomarkers of GI cancer/IBD  in dogs & cats (funded by FTP)

2) MicroRNAs as biomarkers of social stress in zebrafish

3) MicroRNAs as biomarkers to identify keelbone fractures in laying hens.

I have developed a method for microRNA detection by qPCR which is highly used and cited by other scientists (Balcells et al. 2011).

• Pig as a model for human diseases, with focus on obesity

Due to its similarity in organ sizes, metabolic features, cardiovascular systems, dietary habits and fat deposition the pigs provide an exceptional model for many human diseases including obesity.  i.e. characterization of the genes and pathways involved in obesity in pigs will open up new research avenues in the management of human obesity-related health issues. We have established a Bio-bank of porcine tissues from around 600 lean and fat animals which represent a unique resource for functional studies in obesity related health issues.

I have several projects in collaboration with Novo Nordisk towards the characterization of Göttingen Minipig as a model for NASH and obesity in humans.

Undervisnings- og vejledningsområder

• Course responsible of "Mammalian Genomics" at KU
• Lectures in "Biomedicine" differentiation (Genetics part) in Veterinary education at KU
• Supervision of Bachelor, Master, PhD and PostDoc students 

Sprogkundskaber

Catalan

Spanish

Danish

English

French (limited)

Mulige interessekonflikter

I collaborate with employees from Novo Nordisk in different research projects involving the  molecular characterization of Göttingen Minipigs as a model for human obesity.