He defended his doctoral thesis in 2009 in Granada (Spain). During his PhD student period (2004-2009), he performed a molecular analysis of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonizing some field plants in a Mediterranean environment. They performed also a deep phylogenetic analysis with the sequences obtained. Just when he finished he went to Dijon (France) for a 1-year postdoctoral contract in INRA (Institut national de la recherche agronomique). Within this project they carried out a molecular genotyping of the European Glomeromycota reference collection (BEG). For this purpose, they developed new discriminating molecular markers for facilitating identification of Glomeromycota fungi at different taxonomic levels. After his first experience as postdoctoral researcher, he got a new 1-year contract in the same institution for a new project: "SYMETAL: Rhizostabilisation of highly heavy metal contaminated mine spoils by using metallicolous plants associated with microbial symbionts". After this second experience in France, February 2012, he obtained a position as postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology in the University of Granada where he work at present. In this case he am involved in a project in which they are studying the bacterial diversity occurring in the vicinity of former uranium mining sites and potential bioremediation strategies applicable in these areas. This project is supported by the French company AREVA. His scientific production during this period of time is summarized in 23 scientific publications in SCI indexed journals, more than 50 communications in meetings and conferences, and several book chapters and books. His scientific interests are focused on microbial diversity and taxonomy as well as microbial interactions with the environment at different levels with bioremediation purposes.

Microbial diversity and taxonomy. Microbial interactions with the environment at different levels with bioremediation purposes