Today, let’s introduce Dr. Josefa Antón Botella, from Partner UA (Universidad de Alicante)
Josefa (aka Pepa) Antón Botella is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Alicante, a diverse-oriented and welcoming university with one of the best campuses in Spain, not only in terms of infrastructure, but also in terms of landscaping, sustainability and gender equality. Pepa Antón carries out research in microbial biodiversity, molecular microbial ecology, and marine and hypersaline environments (among other interests) at the Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies. She also teaches at the University’s Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology. Find out more about her in this latest “Meet the MetaFluidics team” interview!
- How did you become a professor at the University of Alicante?
I did my PhD here after studying in Valencia. Afterwards I went to Madrid and Berkeley and they offered me a position of Assistant Professor, so I decided to come. Then I started my group and finally got the professorship.
- What do your students learn in your classes?
Now I teach Advanced Microbiology, but I’ve taught all the possible micros we have at this university. I try to teach them to think and be critical and how fascinating microbiology is.
- What are the main topics you are currently working on as a researcher?
Viruses, microorganisms and their interactions with one another and with the environment in hypersaline systems and in some marine environments such as corals and sediments.
- What are you most proud of in your life & career?
My group! 🙂
- What is exactly your role in the MetaFluidics project?
We are the ecological part and the providers of environmental samples (that we analyze through metagenomics). We are developing microfluidics-based approaches to study viral/microbial assemblages in nature.
- What is your favorite aspect in the MetaFluidics project?
The interaction with the rest of the teams and the cutting edge science
- A more personal question now… What helps you to overcome the difficulties of life?
“With a little help of my friends” (and family) 🙂
