Lecturer in Parasitology at University of Granada & Research Center Network for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP)

My main line of research focuses on the study of the ecology and evolution of parasite transmission networks under a global change scenario. Throughout my career, I have used a wide range of approaches combining the extensive monitoring of natural processes and experimental procedures in the wild and in the laboratory. To fully understand the transmission networks of the vector-borne pathogens that cause infectious diseases, I investigate the interactions between the three main actors involved - insect vectors, vertebrate hosts, and pathogens - and have studied the ecological drivers that affect their interactions. To do so, I first study the factors affecting contact rates between insect vectors, including native and invasive species, and their vertebrate hosts, and the phylogenetic inertia of the blood-feeding preferences of vectors of ecological and medical importance. Subsequently, I study the co-evolutionary processes determining the development of pathogens in insect vectors, the consequences of parasite infection for their vertebrate hosts and insect vectors, which may be relevant to pathogen epidemiology. In this context, I am currently investigating the role of mosquito microbiota on the interactions between mosquitoes and pathogens circulating in natural ecosystems. Finally, I identify the impact of human-driven changes in landscapes and biodiversity on vector community composition and pathogen amplification under a scenario of global change.