Alberto Joven Araus

Biography

I have developed my scientific experience mainly using newts as animal model, specifically Pleurodeles waltl. My social and meticulous nature, together with an ambitious professional attitude, have led me to be part of a number of groundbreaking projects, in which we innovate and contribute to the continuous development of scientific knowledge, applying cutting-edge techniques to this animal model.

Some of the milestones achieved have been the implementation of molecular methods to the Iberian ribbed newt, the generation of genetically modified newts, and the study of their internal tissues using non-invasive research imaging techniques (ultrasound, micro-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging). Our group was also a pioneer in the sequencing and assembly of the large genome and transcriptome of Pleurodeles, as well as in the implementation of next generation sequencing (Next Generation Sequencing) in this species (single-cell RNA sequencing and spatially-resolved transcriptomics).

Taken together, these advances have been fundamental in positioning Pleurodeles as an internationally emerging model organism in cellular, molecular and genetic biology studies in the fields of neuroscience, tissue development and regeneration with an innovative, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach.

My goal is to continue advancing the basic knowledge of complex tissue regeneration that occurs naturally in newts. This will pave the way towards translational approaches that will accelerate the development of new regenerative therapies for humans.

Born in Zaragoza, Spain. I obtained a degree in Biological Sciences by the University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain. I participated in the Erasmus program, spending the fifth year of my degree in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. My scientific experience began carrying out research projects as an undergrad student at the Departments of Genetics in Bilbao and Zoology in Thessaloniki. I did my doctoral studies funded by an FPI grant from the Spanish Government, under the supervision of Agustín González and Nerea Moreno at the Department of Cell Biology, Complutense University of Madrid. During my PhD studies, I took the chance to do two internships abroad (Elly Tanaka’s lab at Max Planck Institute, Dresden, Germany, and András Simon’s lab at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden), where I became very interested on the field of regeneration and the possibilities of applying molecular tools to salamander research. I conducted my postdoctoral research in the laboratory of András Simon in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, where I hold a permanent position as a Research Specialist.