From left to right. Upper: Núria Ros, Helena Parra, David López, Marta Álvarez, Dan Richter, Alberto Pérez, Omaya Dudin, Aleix Antón, Sabastián Najle, Dani Caravaca, Eduard Ocaña, Cecília Corbella, Maria Ferrer
Lower: Meritxell Antó, Konstantina Mitsi, Alicia S. Arroyo, Michelle Leger, Aleksandra Kozyczkowska, Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo
Iñaki Ruiz Trillo
Principal Investigator
ICREA research professor at the Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC–UPF). Associate professor Dept. Genètica (Universitat de Barcelona). Member of EMBO. Faculty Member of F1000Prime and member of the editorial board of EvoDevo, Biology Letters and Molecular Biology and Evolution.
| Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo’s Website |
| +34 93.230.96.40 | inaki.ruiz@ibe.upf-csic.es |
| Google Scholar | ORCID |
| Impactstory | Scopus |
I joined the lab in January 2013. Besides the management of the lab, I collaborate in several projects of the different lines of research. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026 I did my undergraduate at the Universitat de Vic. I joined the MCG lab in June 2014. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026 I joined the MCG lab in November 2014. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6037
Lab manager
meritxell.anto@ibe.upf-csic.es
Postdoctoral Researcher
I’m trying to understand the role of some transcription factors in Capsaspora owczarzaki, as well as developing a transfection protocol for this organism.
nuria.ros@ibe.upf-csic.es
Postdoctoral fellow; Moore Foundation contract
I’m working on functional analyses of several proteins in Capsaspora and Creolimax and developing single-cell RNA-seq protocols for these and other organisms.
sebastian.najle@upf.edu
I joined the MCG lab in July 2015. I did my undergraduate at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. My aim is to unravel the whole diversity of unicellular opisthokonts and animals by using metabarcoding data from Tara Oceans, and Biomarks, as well as by sequencing fresh-water environments. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026 I joined MCG lab in September 2015. I did my undergraduate and master studies at the Universitat de Barcelona (UB). I am using comparative genomics to understand the origins of multicellularity in fungi and animals. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
Alicia S. Arroyo
PhD student; MINECO contract
alicia.arroyo@ibe.upf-csic.es
Eduard Ocaña Pallarès
PhD student; FPI fellowship
eduard.ocana@ibe.upf-csic.es
Alberto Pérez Posada
PhD student; La Caixa fellowship
I joined the lab in October 2015. I am developing genetic tools for Capsaspora for further studies in cell signalling in unicellular holozoans.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
alberto.perez@upf.edu
PhD student – Moore Foundation contract I work on development of new model organisms among unicellular relatives of animals such as Corallochytrium limacisporum and Creolimax fragrantissima. That includes development of genetic tools and study the biology of those organisms. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6023 Joined the MCG lab in June 2016. I’m working on genome regulation in ichthyosporeans. +34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6037 Predoctoral Researcher – Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant I joined the MCG lab in September 2016. I will work in single-cell genomics and transcriptomics of opisthokonts.
aleksandra.kozyczkowska@upf.edu 
Postdoctoral Researcher – Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant
andrej.ondracka@upf.edu
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
konstantina.mitsi@ibe.upf-csic.es
Michelle LegerPostdoctoral Researcher – Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant
I joined the MCG lab in November 2016. I’m exploring the distribution and function of apoptosis-related elements in unicellular opisthokonts, to shed light on the origins of the apoptotic machinery of animals.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6037
michelle.leger@upf.edu
Omaya Dudin
Postdoctoral Researcher – FNSNF grant
I joined the lab in 2017 after an undergrad at the University of Grenoble and a PhD at the University of Lausanne. I’m interested in the cytoskeletal changes requiered during the unicellular to multicellular transition. In parallel, I’m developing novel genetic tools to understand multicellularity stabilization using experimental evolution.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6037
omaya.dudin@outlook.com
Dan RichterPostdoctoral Researcher – Beatriu de Pinós Fellowship
I joined the lab in February, 2018, arriving from the Station Biologique de Roscoff, France. I study the biology, community structure and evolution of the most abundant microbial eukaryotes in the surface ocean.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
Google Scholar
daniel.richter@ibe.upf-csic.es
Associate Researcher
I joined the lab in 2019 after a Ph.D. and postdoc at the University of Barcelona. I am interested in the phylogeny and evolution of basal clades related to the transition from unicellular to multicellular. The discovery of new taxonomic groups will be one of my objectives in the group.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6023
marta.alvarez@upf.edu
Cecília CorbellaLab technician
I joined the lab in July 2018. I support lab members on their lab operations to develop their work.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6014
cecilia.corbella@ibe.upf-csic.es
Master student
I work in the study of Corallochytrium limacisporum, a protist phylogenetically close to animals, developing genetic tools and understanding its genetic tools and morhpologies due to its importance as a potential model organism in the study of cell biology.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6023
aleixat94@gmail.com
Master student
I joined the lab in January 2019. I’m developing genetic tools to understand biology and life cycle of Corallochytrium limacisporum and Abeoforma whisleri.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6023
dani.caravaca93@gmail.com
Beatriu de Pinós Fellow
I joined the MCG lab in April 2019, after postdocs at Bristol and Barcelona. I am trying to understand how and when multicellularity evolved in animals and fungi.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
jesus.lozanof@gmail.com
Postdoctoral Researcher – Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
I belong to Kyoto University (Japan) and joined the MCG lab in April 2019. I am interested in morphogenesis mechanism of testate amoeba. I will work on single-cell RNA-seq to reveal its molecular mechanism.
+34 93.230.95.00-ext. 6026
nomura.mami.36x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Former members
Helena Parra-Acero (2012-2019). Master and PhD.
David López Escardó (2012-2018). Master and PhD.
Alfonso Mendaña (2017-2018). Master student
Maria Ferrer Bonet (2016-2018). Research Assistant.
Xavier Grau i Bové (2012-2018). Master, PhD and postdoc.
Maria Rubio Brotons (2016-17). Lab technician. Currently in ZE clinics.
Matija Harcet (2013-16). Postdoctoral Researcher.
Cristina Aresté Calero (2015-16). Postdoctoral Researcher.
Xavi Florenza (2015-2016). Master’s student. Awarded PhD ITN Marie Curie grant in Uppsala (Sweden).
Marta Ledesma (summer 2016). Undergraduate student.
Maria Buendía (summer 2016). Undergraduate student.
Gema Blasco (Jan2015-Mar2016). Lab technician. Currently in the Genetics Department of the Universitat de Barcelona.
Xènia Pérez Sitjà (Summer 2015). Undergraduate student.
Lourdes Riquelme (2014), màster student, Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona.
Ferran Porté (summer 2013), Joves i Ciència from CatalunyaCaixa. Project: Developing genetic tools in ichthyosporeans.
Núria Ros (summer 2012). Undergraduate student. Universitat de Vic. Project: Developing genetic tools in Capsaspora.
Alan Ordoño (summer 2012). Joves i Ciència from CatalunyaCaixa. Project: Developing genetic tools in Capsaspora.
Maria José Mazón (2012). Research associate.
Alexandre Prats (July 2012). Undergraduate student.
Diego Mallo (April-July 2012). Visiting researcher from David Posada’s lab.
Javier del Campo (2011-2013), postdoctoral researcher. Currently at University of British Columbia with a Marie Curie postdoctoral grant.
Gemma Prunés (summer 2011), program Joves i Ciència from CatalunyaCaixa.
John Shadwick (2010-2011), graduate researcher. Currently an assistant professor at University of Arkansas.
Lora Lindley (2010-2011), postdoc. Currently at University of Arkansas.
Núria Sánchez-Pons (2009-2013). Postdoc. Development of transgenesis tools in Capsaspora.
Jordi Paps (2009-2010), postdoc. Currently group leader at University of Essex (UK).
Lluis Medina-Chacón (2009-2010), master student.
Hiroshi Suga (2008-2014). Currently group leader at Prefectural University of Hiroshima (Japan).
Romain Derelle (2008-2009), postdoc. Currently at CRG.
Alex Pérez (2008-2009), lab manager. Currently 454 representative at Roche-Spain.
Alex de Mendoza (2008-2014), PhD and postdoc. Awarded an EMBO postdoctoral grant.
Guifré Torruella (2008-2014), PhD. Awarded a Marie Curie postdoctoral grant.
Arnau Sebé-Pedrós (2008-2015), PhD and postdoc. Awarded an EMBO postdoctoral grant.
A list of some of our friends and current collaborators
Nick Brown, University of Cambridge, UK.
Takaaki Kai, Prefecural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Nicole King, UC Berkeley, USA.
Andrew J. Roger, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Cathrine Sumathi, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India.
Franz Lang, Université de Montreal, Canada.
Gertraud Burger, Université de Montreal, Canada.
Stuart Donachie, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA.
Kamran Shalchian-Tabrizi, University of Oslo, Norway.
Duojia Pan, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
José Luis Gómez-Skarmeta, CABD, Sevilla, Spain.
Maja Adamska, Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, Bergen, Norway.
Todd Miller, Stony Brook University, USA.
Phil Donoghue, University of Bristol, UK.
David Posada, Universidad de Vigo, Spain.
Richard Paley, Cefas, UK.
Ariadna Sitjà-Bobadilla, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre de la Sal, Castellón, Spain.
Crisanto Gutierrez, Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa”, Spain.
Jordi Paps, University of Essex, UK.
Kevin J. Perterson, Darmouth College, USA.
Colomban de Vargas, Station Biologique de Roscoff, France.
Tom Richards, University of Exeter, UK.
Fernando Rodríguez Pascual, Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa”, Spain.
Purificación López-García & David Moreira, France.
