My research aims to reveal the fundamental basis of desiccation and low temperature stress tolerance in seeds and other plant propagules, particularly in relation to successful cryopreservation. In addition, I am interested in the variation in longevity in plant propagules, from bryophyte and fern spores as a unicellular model to more complex systems. Often these studies involve making structural and biophysical determinations. At the university, I carry out teaching activities in Botany. I also carry out training activities on cryobiotechnology for technical staff and researchers and supervise undergraduate (MSc and PhD) students and postdocs.

I am Professor of Botany in the Department of Botany and Geology at the University of Valencia. I graduated in Biological Sciences and obtained my PhD from the Autonomous University of Madrid, where I completed my doctoral thesis on the nomenclatural type collections of A. J. Cavanilles preserved at the Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid. I began my research career at the latter institution (CSIC) and subsequently developed my academic career at the Autonomous University of Madrid, the European University of Madrid and, since 2002, the University of Valencia.

My research focuses mainly on bryology, with particular emphasis on the taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, evolution and conservation of bryophytes. A substantial part of my work has been devoted to the family Orthotrichaceae, especially to the study of Ulota and other related genera. I have also developed a long-standing line of research on the ecological characterization, classification, mapping and conservation of riparian vegetation in Spain.

I have participated in numerous national and international research projects, several of them as principal investigator, and have carried out extensive fieldwork in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. My research has resulted in more than 160 scientific papers, as well as books, book chapters and other specialized publications, and has led to a broad network of collaborations with researchers and institutions in many countries. My most recent research lines include the study of evolutionary and biogeographical patterns in Ulota and other Orthotrichaceae, as well as the role of environmental gradients and geographic isolation in the diversification of this group of mosses.

My research also has a strong applied component focused on biodiversity conservation. I have coordinated  the Atlas y Libro Rojo de la Flora Briofítica Amenazada de España (Atlas and Red Data Book of Threatened Bryophyte Flora of Spain) and contributed to the assessment of the conservation status of threatened bryophytes, and to numerous studies related to the characterization, monitoring and conservation of riparian forests and other riparian vegetation types.

I combine research with university teaching and the training of early-career researchers. I have supervised doctoral theses and Master’s dissertations, participated in the organization of national and international conferences, and held various responsibilities in scientific societies and specialist journals. I am a member of the Permanent Nomenclature Committee for Bryophytes of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT), an Associate Editor of Cryptogamie, Bryologie, and have served as Secretary and President of the Spanish Bryological Society. My research activity has also been recognized, among other distinctions, with the 2021 Sullivant Award of the American Bryological and Lichenological Society.