Research labs

Evolution and Developmental Biology lab

Throughout the Earth’s history, evolution has developed a great number of different organisms with an incredible variety of forms and sizes. These morphologies are tailored during development by modifying the expression pattern of key genes and by the modulation of hormone activation. The main goal of this lab is, therefore, to understand how changes in gene and hormone regulation affect morphology evolution, particularly in relation to the origin of insect metamorphosis. The Evolution and Developmental Biology lab addresses these questions by comparing the development and metamorphosis of Drosophila melanogaster, Tribolium castaneum and Thermobia domestica.

Principal investigators: David Martin and Xavier Franch-Marro

Members of the lab: Josefa Cruz, Postdoctoral Researcher; Silvia Chafino, PhD Student; Adrià Chorro, Master Student; Roser Salvia, Master Student; Arianna Bruguera, Master Student

Oral presentations and talks given: 9

Main publications and other research activities:

Borras-Castells, F., Nieva, C., Maestro, J.L., Maestro, O., Belles, X. and Martín, D. (2017). Juvenile hormone biosynthesis in adult Blattella germanica requires nuclear receptors Seven-up and FTZ-F1. Scientific Reports 7, 40234; DOI: 10.1038/srep40234.

Rahman, M.M., Franch-Marro, X., Maestro, J.L., Martín, D. and Casali, A. (2017). Local Juvenile Hormone activity regulates gut homeostasis and tumor growth in adult Drosophila. Scientific Reports 7: 11677; DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-11199-9.

Funding (active projects in 2017 only):