I am ICREA research professor (the
Catalan Institute for research and Advanced Studies). I work at
Universitat Pompeu Fabra , where
I lead the CSL. I am also
External Professor of the Santa Fe Institute and
member of the Council of the European Complex Systems Society.
I completed a five-year degree in Physics and another
5-year degree in Biology at the University of Barcelona and received
my PhD in Physics in the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya.
One of my main research
interests is understanding the possible presence of universal patterns
of organization in complex systems, from prebiotic replicators to
evolved artificial objects. Key questions are how robust structures
develop, how information is incorporated into these structures and how
computation emerges. I am also interested in how to determine what are
the contributions of selection, chance and self-organization to the
evolution of complexity. Part of these studies
are funded by
a James
McDonnell Foundation Award.
Biological computation
Cells compute in ways that are different from those performed by computers. Using a novel approach to biocomputation, we are exploring the problem of how to build complex computations using engineered cells.
Synthetic protocells
We are working towards the creation of an artificial cell able to replicate. This work involves theoretical frameworks to understand the potential scenarios where replicating protocells would be possible (see Center for Living Technology>).
Evolution of innovation
Funded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, we explore how tinkering creates complexity and innovation in both biological and technological evolution. This project will include building an in silico model of large-scale evolution of multicellular life.
Evolution of viruses
We are exploring the dynamics of viruses using in silico models of their life cycle, assembly properties and genome complexity. We have used bit string models to analyse the presence of error thresholds, the structure of their fitness landscapes and how they adapt in a changing world.
Cancer dynamics
We are exploring models of tumorigenesis, using computational and theoretical models of cancer growth involving genomic instability and cancer stem cells. Our goal is identifying potential Achilles heels of cancer dynamics.
