Mart´ın is a PhD student and a former Master’s student in the group. He
grew up in a very small village in Galicia, Spain, called Castro de Rei, with just
200 inhabitants.
Despite growing up in an environment with little connection to science, he
moved across the country, driven by his love for physics. He completed his
Bachelor’s degree at the University of C´ordoba, spending his final year at Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, where he conducted his Bachelor’s thesis on
first-principles simulations of graphene-based materials. More importantly, during
this year, he was introduced to the field of Complex Systems through concepts
like phase transitions and criticality, which captivated him from the start.
For his Master’s, Mart´ın moved to Barcelona, where he specialized in the
Physics of Complex Systems and Biophysics. There he carried out his Master’s
thesis at ICFO in the Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology
group, where he studied the effects of microtubule monomers on the mechanical
properties of MEC-2 biomolecular condensates, using optical tweezers.
Now, Mart´ın has rejoined the group as a PhD student, deepening his expertise
in the field of biomolecular condensates. His research aims to address a
30-year-old question: how does MEC-2 interacts with microtubules to give rise
to touch sensing?
Outside the lab, you can find Mart´ın practicing several dances like Brazilian
Zouk, bachata or salsa or just enjoying dinner with friends while watching a
film.