A scientific path shaped by curiosity and collaboration

Understanding evolution has always been a driving force behind my scientific journey—from the origins of life on Earth to the emergence of eukaryotic cells and the transformation of bacteria into organelles. These fundamental questions guided my early research between 2001 and 2008, during my predoctoral and postdoctoral years at the University of Montreal (Québec, Canada) and Newcastle University (UK). These were the early days of phylogenomics, a field that was just beginning to take shape, and I had the chance to contribute to its development by combining evolutionary thinking with methodological and computational approaches.

Early work in genomics and bioinformatics

In 2008, I returned to the Basque Country and joined CIC bioGUNE, where I began working as a bioinformatician just as Illumina sequencing technology arrived in Spain. I was involved in the analysis of some of the first short-read datasets produced in the country—36 bp reads from the original Genome Analyzer platform. These early efforts laid the groundwork for future applications of high-throughput sequencing. During this time, I also contributed to genotyping and microarray projects, working with model organisms such as humans, mice and Drosophila, and became part of the growing bioinformatics and genomics community focused on Next Generation Sequencing and Genotyping.

Bringing genomics to marine science

In 2011, I joined AZTI with the mission of launching a new line of research in marine genetics—a field that, at the time, was entirely new to me. Despite having no prior background in marine science or marine ecosystems, the strong foundations in evolutionary biology, genomics, and bioinformatics proved to be highly transferable. In a short time, and through close collaboration with marine scientists, I was able to bridge disciplines and contribute to shaping a research line that would bring molecular tools into marine conservation and management.

Although my academic background was not in marine sciences, the ability to adapt, learn quickly, and connect disciplines has been key throughout my career. Drawing from this experience, I’ve worked to build bridges between molecular biology, bioinformatics, and marine research—fostering a collaborative and cross-disciplinary environment where innovation can thrive.

This effort led to the creation of the Eco-evolutionary Genomics Applied to Marine Management research line, which has since grown into a reference point within the organization and beyond. The focus has been on generating genomic insights to inform sustainable exploitation, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem-based management—demonstrating that integrating omics into marine science can have a meaningful and lasting impact.