After completing my MSc, I was awarded a predoctoral grant to pursue an industrial PhD at IVI RMA under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Jose de los Santos, focusing on the mechanisms that regulate the developmental competence of human mosaic embryos.In this role, I underwent training in several human embryology procedures, including embryo warming, culture, fixation, and tubing. Additionally, my research involved using time-lapse imaging for morphokinetic analysis, establishing protocols for protein co-localization through immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, as well as learning molecular biology techniques. These included DNA and RNA isolation, RT-qPCR for marker expression, and embryo transcriptomic analysis via RNA sequencing. I also managed clinical information and patient samples, processed informed consents, prepared monitoring reports for the funding bodies, and handled administrative documentation.During this time, I published 9 research articles, 4 of them as the first author, and presented at the most relevant congresses in the field with a total of 19 communications (13 in poster format and 6 in oral format), with 8 of them as the first author and 1 as invited speaker.

I play an active role in the Master's Degree programs in Biotechnology of Assisted Human Reproduction and Theoretical Basis and Laboratory Procedures in Assisted Reproduction. These programs are jointly offered by the University of Valencia and IVI RMA Global. My lectures specifically delve into the molecular aspects of preimplantation embryonic development, covering critical topics such as embryonic compaction, cell polarization, cell-lineage segregation, and embryonic mosaicism. These lectures aim to provide future embryologists with cutting-edge knowledge applicable to advanced reproductive technologies.

During my time at the prestigious MRC-LMB, under the mentorship of Dr. Marta Shahbazi, I learnt cutting-edge techniques relevant to human embryology and infertility. These included chemical resetting of human ESCs to develop artificial embryos, extended embryo culture to post- implantation stages, and innovative methods for studying aneuploidies. The MRC-LMB, renowned as a cornerstone of modern molecular biology, has been distinguished with 12 Nobel Prizes and numerous Royal Society awards, underscoring its impact on global scientific advancement.

I joined Maria Jose de los Santos' laboratory to support research activities in the IVF laboratory. My primary responsibilities involved designing, planning, and conducting experiments, including warming, culturing, fixing, and tubing human embryos. Additionally, I managed clinical information and patient samples, processed informed consents, and handled administrative documentation. In this role, I published a literature review on the molecular mechanisms of embryo compaction and polarization, and received hands-on training in semen analysis and preparation, oocyte pick-up, oocyte denudation, embryo culture, and grading, as well as in the vitrification and warming of oocytes and embryos.

After completing my BSc, I was awarded an Erasmus+ grant to spend 12 months in an IVF laboratory overseas. During my placement, I became a dependable member of the Embryology team, participating in clinical activities, including the set-up of dishes and paperwork, semen analysis, semen preparation, sperm freezing, oocyte pick-up and embryo grading. In addition, I participated in research activities led by Dr. Alison Campbell, which resulted in several presentations at both national and international conferences as first author and the publication of the scientific article titled "Perivitelline threads in cleavage-stage human embryos: Observations using time-lapse imaging".

During my BSc, I joined Professor Placido Navas' laboratory as a student intern to conduct my end- of-degree project. In this role, I received training in cell culture, differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes, real-time PCR technology for gene expression analysis, Western blotting for protein studies, cell sorting, freezing of muscle cells, and gene-silencing procedures.