People

Pablo earned his degree in Biology in Granada in 2011, then he moved to Barcelona to pursue his PhD in Biomedicine in IDIBELL where we worked on the pathophysiology of adrenoleukodystrophy, a peroxisomal disorder. After two postdocs working on fatty acid oxidation, metabolic disorders and obesity in New York (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) and Copenhagen (Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen), he returned to the University of Granada in 2024, thanks to the Emerging Investigators program from University of Granada and more recently with a Ramón y Cajal grant, and one Plan Nacional grant. He is part of the CTS-101 "Intercellular communication" group at CIBM, and the excellence unit UNETE at University of Granada. His research goal is to understand the role of peroxisomes in metabolic homeostasis. He is also passionated about open science and preprints, collaborating with ASAPbio since 2017 to promote the use of preprints in life sciences. When he's not geeking out about science, you'll probably find him shooting hoops and watching basketball (hopefully Granada team will get good at some point!), getting into a lively political debate, enjoying some seriously good food or, when the weather's good (which is pretty often around here!), exploring the amazing hiking trails that Granada has to offer

Yolanda is from Granada, where she began her Degree in Biology, graduating from the University of Granada in 2016. After that, she jumped into a Master’s in Genetics and Evolution, which took her all the way to Scotland. There, she completed her master’s thesis at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Aberdeen, where she stayed until 2019—and where she discovered her passion for science!

She is completing her PhD in Dr. Acuña Castroviejo’s lab, which she will defend in July 2025. She studied the molecular mechanisms behind sarcopenia in iMS-Bmal1-/- mice. She is now part of our team as Staff Scientist. Her experience and passion for in vivo work will help us a lot in our projects with mouse models. She also helps us to create a welcoming environment for all newcomers to the lab and to establish protocols for each experiment.

Outside the lab, Yolanda loves enjoying good food, beer and the vibrant atmosphere of Granada with her friends. She is a big fan of libraries (especially when Stephen King books are involved) and spends hours crafting with clay in her pottery classes.

Julia is from Granada, where she completed a double bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and in Food Science and Technology at the University of Granada, graduating with outstanding academic performance. She has been awarded both the Excellence Scholarship from the University of Granada and the Prize for Best Academic Record in Dietetics from CODINAN (Andalusian Association of Dietitians-Nutritionists).

Her passion for both science and education led her to pursue a Master's Degree in Secondary and Vocational Education (MAES), specializing in Health Processes. In parallel, Julia collaborated with the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Granada and completed her work experience at Abbott Nutrition and gained skills in viscosity analysis, data processing (Excel, Python, SQL), and scientific writing.

She started in the lab in May 2025 through the Ícaro internship program. In June 2025, she was awarded the prestigious FPU grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, which will allow her to pursue her PhD in the lab, focusing on the study of peroxisomal metabolism using cell cultures and animal models. Beyond her academic and research interests, Julia enjoys cooking, exploring new music, and staying active through running and resistance training. She also finds great joy in long walks through the streets of Granada.