Fitxa persona

English

I obtained my degree in Biochemistry from the University of Havana (Cuba) in 1996. I began my scientific career at the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Havana, where I worked on the development of transgenic plants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins.

Between 1998 and 2012, I held research positions at several Spanish institutions, including the Universitat de València, the Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias and the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas. I obtained my PhD in 2004 and carried out postdoctoral research focused on the molecular characterization of resistance mechanisms to Bt toxins and on the study of toxin–receptor interactions. During this period, I also investigated the integration of Bt-based technologies with biological control agents for the sustainable management of economically important pests within Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes.

In 2012, I joined Rothamsted Research (United Kingdom) as a Marie Curie Fellow. My research addressed the mode of action and selectivity of pyrethroids in economically important mites and ticks, as well as resistance mechanisms to other compounds, including flumethrin, coumaphos and amitraz. In addition, I developed sensitive molecular tools and monitoring assays for applications in IPM programmes.

In 2015, I joined the BIOTECMED Institute at the Universitat de València (Spain) as a Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow, and since 2021 I have held a position as Associate Professor. My research focuses on understanding the evolutionary and molecular mechanisms underlying pesticide resistance and identifying the determinants governing pesticide selectivity towards non-target organisms. I am also interested in the ecological and evolutionary processes that influence the long-term efficacy and sustainability of biological control programmes.