Research interests

Working on the project “Mutation load: from genomic estimates to fitness decline and population extinction risk" supervised by Prof. Yvonne Willi

Education and experience

Since 04/2026 - PhD student, University of Basel. Working on the project: "Mutation load: from genomic estimates to fitness decline and population extinction risk" supervised by Prof. Yvonne Willi
04/2024 - 04/2025 - One-year research scholarship in environmental education at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra
08/2021 - 02/2025 - Master's degree in Ecology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Master's thesis: "Reassessing Changes in Reproductive Strategies and Population
Structure of Oxalis pes-caprae in the Invaded Range” supervised by Sílvia Castro and Mariana Castro
09/2018 - 07/2021 - Bachelor's degree in Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Final Bachelor’s Degree project: “Study of genome size evolution in Helianthemum" supervised by João Loureiro and Sara Lopes

Publications

Martín-Hernanz, S., Albaladejo, R. G., Viruel, J., Matos, R., Lopes, S. B., Rubio, E., Castro, M., Loureiro, J., Volkova, P., & Aparicio, A. (2026). Genome size evolution in Helianthemum (Cistaceae): Dynamic genomes within a conserved chromosomal framework. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108627