Xavi Florenza
Postdoc xavi.florenza{@}ebc.uu.se I got my degree in chemistry from the University of Barcelona in 2014. Before graduating, I worked part-time taking care of three transmission electron microscopes at the University's cryo-electron microscopy facility. There, I first became acquainted with, then interested in, finally captivated by, the vast array of life forms that microbial eukaryotes showcase. I therefore continued with a master's degree in genetics and genomics in the same university, and graduated in 2016 doing transcriptomics of the tiny amoeba Capsaspora owczarzaki. From there I went on to do a PhD devoted to adapting and improving single-cell techniques for ecological and metabolic mapping of mixotrophic microeukaryotes. With mixed success but much understanding, I defended my thesis in 2023. During my postdoc, I will be trying to set up an in-drop single-cell qPCR assay to pull out the genomes of specific targets from natural samples. In general, I tend to believe that microscopy and cytometry are fundamental tools to study microbial life. Microfluidics might also become important. And perhaps mass spectrometry too. Beyond microbes, I cultivate an interest in epistemology and philosophy of science. I also cooked professionally for a number of years, and eating is certainly the occupation I am best at. |