I am a Tenured Scientist at CEBAS-CSIC specializing in genetics, molecular breeding, and genomics of woody species. My research integrates Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies and bioinformatics to develop genomics-assisted breeding strategies for economically important crops. I completed my PhD at CEBAS-CSIC under the supervision of Prof. Federico Dicenta, elucidating the agronomic and molecular basis of floral incompatibility in almond. As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, working with Prof. David Neale, I contributed to the PineRefSeq project and co-authored the genome assemblies of Pinus taeda and Pinus lambertiana, and later led the development of the first reference genome of walnut.
Awarded a Ramón y Cajal fellowship, I established my own research group at CEBAS-CSIC in 2018. My trajectory has been recognized with Excellent evaluations, I3 certification, and promotion to Tenured Scientist in 2023. I have published over 70 SCI-indexed articles in leading international journals, secured substantial competitive funding at regional, national, and international levels, and hold three patents. In 2025, I was awarded a Fulbright–Fundación Séneca Fellowship and am currently based at UC Davis. I actively contribute to scientific leadership, doctoral training, and editorial service in plant genomics and breeding.