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Dr. Felipe Martínez has participatedin the 2023 meeting of the Association of Embryo Technology in Europe (AETE), in Heraklion, Crete (Greece). He presented three communications as electronic posters:
García-Ramírez EH, Lacalle E, Tabuyo N, Fernández-Serrano E, Pérez-Romero R, Martín-Fernández B, Soriano-Úbeda C, and Martínez-Pastor F. Validation of the open source OpenCASA sperm motility analysis software in three wild ruminant species. AETE Annual Meeting 2023. September 2023. Heraklion, Greece. Proceedings of the AETE Annual Meeting 2023, 97.
Lacalle E, Fernández-Alegre E, Gómez-Giménez B, Rivas G, Hernández-Barriuso A, González-Montaña JR, Martínez-Pastor F, and Soriano-Úbeda C. Multidimensional characterization of the pig sperm chromatin by flow cytometry. AETE Annual Meeting 2023. September 2023. Heraklion, Greece. Proceedings of the AETE Annual Meeting 2023, 94.
Barrera-Santos S, Lacalle E, Fernández-Alegre E, Lanza C, Hernández-Barriuso A, Gómez- Giménez B, González-Montaña JR, Martínez-Pastor F, and Soriano-Úbeda C. The sperm DNA oxidative damage and fragmentation are early predictive factors of the in vivo fertility of boar. AETE Annual Meeting 2023. September 2023. Heraklion, Greece. Proceedings of the AETE Annual Meeting 2023, 98.
The first communication was the result of a collaboration with the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. The other two presented our results from the granted projects RTI2018-095183-B-I00 (MINECO/AEI/FEDER, EU) and LE023P20, (Junta de Castilla y León/FEDER, EU), in our line “Increasing the reproductive efficiency of pig breeding through the application of advanced techniques for sperm chromatin analysis and selection by colloid.” The collaboration of Topigs-Norsvin España and AIM Ibérica (León) was crucial in these studies
 
 
Our Group is opening a researcher position in the project “Phasing out antibiotics in semen extenders with natural antimicrobials from agrifood byproducts” (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, MICINN). The project’s objective is the substitution of antibiotics in animal reproduction (bull and pig sperm preservation) by using natural plant extracts, focusing on their antimicrobial properties and modulatory effects on sperm physiology.
 The position includes a research contract for 33 months starting on January 2024. It includes entering a Ph.D. program to attain a degree during the completion of the project.
- The activities in the project and Ph.D. program include:
- Acquire basic training in sperm work, including computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), morphology analysis, preparation of semen doses, and sperm cryopreservation.
- Acquire advanced training in sperm functionality and physiology analysis by flow cytometry, sperm chromatin analysis, and sperm metabolism evaluation.
- Participate in our lab’s contact network, including top research labs in spermatology, highly innovating cattle and pig industry companies, and our spin-off Bianor Biotech. Carry out stays with collaborators in Spain and abroad, including the project’s collaborators at the University of Bologna (Italy).
- Carry out your research within the objectives and research lines of the project, initially under the supervision of the group senior researchers, eventually with growing independence (including supervision of students and other lab members).
The specific requirements for the position are:
- To hold a degree enabling access to the doctorate (MECES 3) before October 2023 (BSc. in Veterinary or BSc. and MSc. in Biology, Biotechnology, or related fields).
Strong motivation for developing a research career, expecting to achieve an international postdoc or professorship.
- The group will favorably consider the following skills (verifiable):
- MSc. in biology of reproduction.
- Practical experience in cell biology techniques.
- Skills in biostatistics and data analysis (MSc. level).
- Skills in communicating research results (MSc. level).
- Proficiency in English.
Please, use our Contact page for more information. We will greatly appreciate a message of interest with attached CV. Online interviews are to be held by the end of September.
 
ATENCIÓN: Esta convocatoria se abrirá en otoño. Los enlaces llevan a la página de convocatorias de la Universidad de León, donde se publicará cuando comience el nuevo curso.
 Nuestro grupo de Reproducción Animal ha conseguido financiación para realizar un proyecto con el título “Contributing to the ecological transition and the circular bioeconomy by replacing antibiotics with natural antimicrobials in sperm extenders”. En cuanto se publique la concesión definitiva (anunciada para octubre), realizaremos una convocatoria de contrato de investigación para la duración del proyecto (unos 32 meses).
 Este proyecto se realizará en paralelo al consorcio H2020 NeoGiANT, en el que está trabajando la spin-off del grupo Bianor Biotech. Este proyecto tiene como objetivo reducir o eliminar el uso de antibióticos en distintas áreas de la producción animal. El proyecto que se iniciará este otoño apoyará esta iniciativa estudiando aspectos microbiológicos y celulares de la conservación de espermatozoides bovinos y porcinos.
Puedes comunicarte con nosotros en la sección Contacto de la web. Aunque presumiblemente quedan varias semanas hasta publicar la convocatoria, nos interesa pondernos en contacto con los posibles candidatos. Dado que uno de los objetivos del contrato es la realización de una tesis doctoral, se valorará estar en disposición de entrar en un programa de doctorado (título de máster, o próximo a conseguirse). También se tendrá en cuenta la formación en biología y tecnología de la reproducción, aunque no es imprescindible.
 
Our colleagues from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Drs. Filipp Savvulidi and Martin Ptáček have visited our laboratory at the INDEGSAL and Bianor Biotech facilities. Their trip is within an Erasmus+ action aimed at learning sperm analysis and cryopreservation techniques, sharing experience on sheep artificial insemination, and making contacts.
Their Erasmus+ stay, organized by the University of León, has taken them to universities, farms, and artificial insemination centers in Zaragoza, León, and Zamora.
We are sure our collaboration, dating from Dr. Savvulidi’s Ph.D. stage, will grow and significantly impact the small ruminants sector.
 Drs. Ptáček, Martínez-Pastor, and Savvulidi (left to right) at a Reprobio laboratory in INDEGSAL, ULE.

Dr. Felipe Martínez has participated in the 2nd CZU Prague hybrid seminar (Animal reproduction, sperm cryopreservation, and analysis: an international experience), celebrated at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Czech Republic). Drs. Filipp Savvudili and Martin Ptáček invited us. to deliver a talk on some frontline biotechnologies related to animal reproduction. With the title “Trends on sperm processing for improving preservation and fertility,” we presented results related to our collaboration with Dr. Morrell in Sweden, sperm thermotaxis and light stimulation experiments by INIA and U. of Girona groups, and the NeoGiANT project (a collaboration of the group’s spin-off Bianor Biotech SL).
 
This event was held in a mixed presential/online mode in Prague, which enabled the participation of scientists and practitioners from diverse countries, especially from Central and Eastern Europe, Northern and Western Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. This has allowed us to reach a different audience and increase awareness of our research and especially the H2020 NeoGiANT project on antibiotic replacement in animal science.
 

 
 
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