QUALIFICATIONS:

1) D.V.Med. First Class Honours (1992) University of Extremadura.

2) V.M.Sci. (1992) Title of project: “Characterization of the secretagogue effects of acetylcholine on the exocrine pancreatic secretion in the rat”. University of Extremadura.

3) Ph.D. First Class Honours (1996) Title: “Ionic mechanisms of coupling in exocrine pancreatic secretion”. University of Extremadura.

SPECIALIZATION: Cell Biology and Physiology.

CARRER/EMPLOYEMENT:

1989-1992, Undergraduate student in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Extremadura.

1990-1992, Research Student, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Extremadura.

1993-1996, MEC (Spanish Ministry of Education and Science) Research Fellow, University of Extremadura.

1997-1998, Post-doctoral Training in a foreign country. Acciones de Preparación al Plan Regional de Investigación. Cosejería de Educación y Juventud. Junta de Extremadura.

1999, Scientific Assistant, Department of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Saarland.

2000-2001, Return Grant, Sitema de Ciencia-Tecnología-Economía-Sociedad de la Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura (becas postdoctorales de Programa Propio). Acciones de Preparación al Plan Regional de Investigación. Consejería de Educación y Juventud. Junta de Extremadura.

2001-2019, Lecturer in Physiology, Department of Physiology, University of Extremadura, Cáceres (Spain).

2019-DATE, Full Professor in Physiology, Department of Physiology, University of Extremadura, Cáceres (Spain).

2004-DATE, Vicedean for Academial Management and Studies Coordinator, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, (Spain).

MEMBER OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES: Member of the Spanish Physiological Society; Member of the European Society of Neurochemistry

RESEARCH INTEREST: I have 24 years of research experience. My specific interest is on Stimulus-Response Coupling. At the beginning of my research training I worked with anaesthetised animals focusing my research on the determination of pancreatic juice secretion and enzymes content. During my doctoral degree the studies were carried out in isolated pancreatic acinar cells both suspensions and single cell, using fluorescent probes (fura-2 and BCECF) for determinations of intracellular calcium and pH. During my postdoctoral training I have been working with confocal laser-scanning fluorescence technics, focussing the investigations onto the spatio-temporal aspects of calcium signalling.

Actual research focused onto the role of pancreatic stellate cells on pancreatic fibrosis in inflammation and cancer, and how melatonin can modulate stellate cell´s physiology.

My studies are also focused onto the role of mitochondria in calcium signalling and the physiology of the pancreatic acinar cells under oxidative stress conditions, employing confocal laser scanning microscopy, single (imaging) cell fluorimetry as well as spectrofluorimetry (cell suspensions studies).

In addition, actually I am carrying out studies on signal transduction in the central nervous system, hyppocampus, based on cell cultures. My investigations employ astrocytes and neurones as cellular model. The techniques applied are as mentioned above confocal laser scanning microscopy, single (imaging) cell fluorimetry as well as spectrofluorimetry, conventional spetrophotometry, western blot analysis, and the research is focused onto oxidative stress and calcium signalling and cell function, and the role of antioxidants in cell physiology.

TECHNIQUES: Fresh cells preparation techniques; fluorimetry (cell suspensions); microespectrofluorimetry (single cell); confocal laser-scanning microfluorimetry; western blot; determinations of digestive enzymes secretion (amylase and tripsinogen); “in vivo” assays with anaesthetised animals (rat and guinea pig); little knowledge of HPLC and molecular biology techniques; RT-qPCR; cell culture.

LANGUAGES: Spanish and English (fluent both languages); German (level G III DAAD); Italian (elemental level).