Neus Martínez-Abadías
Dr. Neus Martínez-Abadías
Postdoctoral Researcher
Multicellular Systems Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation
Barcelona, Spain
I am a researcher in Evolutionary Biology deeply interested in the genetic determinants of size and shape of complex morphological structures, such as the skull and the limb. I have always sought how to apply state-of-the art morphometric, imaging, molecular and genetic tools to unravel how the genotype translates into the phenotype. My PhD (Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, 2003-2007) focused on determining the genetic component of the human skull to understand its role in human evolution. I started looking into the genotype-phenotype correspondence in skull shape using mouse models for cranial evolution and disease during my 4-year postdoctoral stays at the University of Calgary (Canada, 2008-2009) and Pennsylvania State University (USA, 2009-2012). Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at CRG (Center for Genomic Regulation, Spain, 2012-present) thanks to a Marie Curie Fellowship (FP7-European Commission). I directly approach the genetic and developmental basis of shape by performing 3D morphometric analyses on gene expression patterns revealed by whole-mount in-situ hybridization in mouse embryo developing limbs and hearts. I also investigate whether Dyrk1A inhibition through EGCG-green tea treatment can ameliorate craniofacial development in humans and mouse models with Down syndrome.
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