ProtoQSAR

Team

Our staff is characterized by its high academic profile and extensive scientific background. The technical team of ProtoQSAR is formed by specialists in different areas (pharmacy, chemistry, toxicology and ecotoxicology …) with extensive experience in both academic and industrial sides. We have more than 100 publications in national and international scientific journals, eight chapters in specialized books and more than 80 participations and presentations in technical congresses.

Rafael Gozalbes

Position: CEO

Since 2010: independent consultant in the area of computer science and molecular modeling for different companies and chemical-pharmaceutical groups, and since 2012 as founder and director of ProtoQSAR.
2007-2010: Scientific collaborator in the Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), Valencia. Responsible for the computational management of the database of available chemical compounds.
2001-2007: Senior scientist in the molecular modeling group of the company CEREP (Paris, France). Project Manager in different drug design projects, computational management of the company's compound databases and the development of models for the generation of focused chemical libraries (GPCRs, CNS, kinases).
1998-2001: Postdoctoral position in the "Groupe de Chimie Informatique et Modélisation" of ITODYS - CNRS and the Faculté de Médecine (Université Paris VII). Project developed: "Computer design and experimental evaluation (in vitro and in vivo) of new active drugs against opportunistic AIDS infections".
1998: PhD in Pharmacy (University of Valencia), title of the doctoral thesis "Application of Molecular Connectivity to the selection of new drugs with potential antiprotozoal activity”.

José Vicente Tarazona Díez

Position: Administrative project manager

2016: Doctor in Agronomy, Polytechnic University of Valencia. Title of Doctoral Thesis: "Analysis of the Potential of Carbonic Fertirrigation in Citrus Fruits".
2004-2016: Technical Manager of regional, national and European projects in the private foundation “Research and Innovation for Social Development” (Valencia).
Since 2001: Professor of Secondary school, specialty Technology. Conselleria de Ciència i Educació, Generalitat Valenciana.
1995-2001: Construction manager for the company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas S.A.
1995: Agronomist Engineer(Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineers of the Polytechnic University of Valencia).

Eva Serrano Candelas

Position: Chief Technical Officer

2019: Incorporation to ProtoQSAR as a Chemoinformatician/ Bioinformatician.
Since 2014: Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona.
2018-2020: Master's Degree in Bioinformatics, University of Valencia.
2013 - 2018: Postdoctoral Associate in the Immunobiology Group (Dr. Margarita Martín Andorra). Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona - Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica (Barcelona).
2012: Doctor in Biomedicine, Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona).
2008: Master's Degree in Biomedical Research, Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona).
2006: Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry, University of Valencia.

Simón Perera del Rosario

Position: Business Development Manager

2020 – present: Business Development Manager (ProtoQSAR).
2020 – present: Associate Professor (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Biological Anthropology Unit; Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology).
2019 – present: General Secretary of “PRISMA, Association for Afective and Sexual Diversity in Science, Technology, and Innovation” (Spain).
2018 – present: Collaborator in the citizen initiative of scientific advisory to the Spanish legislative power “Ciencia en el Parlamento” (Science in Parliament, Spain).
2015 – present: Science and culture outreach writer and professional.
2020: Research support technician (Evolutionary Biology Institute, Spanish National Research Council - Universitat Pompeu Fabra).
2019 – 2020: Coordinator (Association Bioinformatics Barcelona – BIB, Barcelona).
2018 – 2020: International relations & collaborative research projects (Association Bioinformatics Barcelona – BIB, Barcelona).
2016 – 2018: Communications Manager (Anaxomics Biotech, Barcelona).
2014 – 2018: Business Developer (Anaxomics Biotech, Barcelona).
2012 – 2014: Project Manager (Anaxomics Biotech, Barcelona).
2015: MSc Biological Anthropology (Universitat de Barcelona & Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona).
2013: BSc & MSc Biotechnology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Pravin Ambure

Position: Senior Researcher

2019: Joined ProtoQSAR as a Marie Curie (MSCA-IF) Researcher.
2018-2019: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Portugal.
2017-2018: Research Assistant, Laboratory of Environmental Chemometrics, University of Gdansk, Poland.
2012-2017: PhD in Pharmacy, Drug Theoretics and Cheminformatics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, India.
2010-2012: Master in Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, India.
2006-2009: Bachelor in Pharmacy, Sinhgad Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pune, India.

Salvador Moncho Escrivà

Position: Researcher (MSCA-IF Fellow)

2021: Joined ProtoQSAR as a researcher with a Marie Curie European Project: NanoQSAR.
2011-2021: Postdoctoral Researcher at Texas A&M University at Qatar.
2010-2011: Postdoctoral Researcher at the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón, CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza.
2010: Ph. D. in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 3-months short-term research fellowships in the State University of New York at Buffalo (2009) and the Heriot-Watt University (2007).
2005: Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

José Luis Vallés Pardo

Position: Researcher (MSCA-IF Fellow)

2021: Joined as researcher in a Marie Curie European Project: GenoQSAR – ProtoQSAR (Paterna).
2020 - 2021: Researcher/Data analyst – IIS-LaFe (València).
2018 - 2019: Data Science National Certificate- ECAM (Strasbourg, France).
2015 - 2016: Molecular modelling expert - Rolic Technologies Ltd. (Allschwil, Switzerland).
2013 - 2015: Postdoctoral Researcher - EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. (Dübendorf, Switzerland).
2008 - 2012: PhD in Molecular Modelling - Universiteit Leiden (Leiden, The Netherlands). Thesis subject: "In-silico study of reaction mechanisms and design principles for water oxidation catalysts".
2003-2008: University degree in Chemistry - Universitat de València.

Martina Palomino-Schätzlein

Position: Researcher

2021: Joined as researcher in Bioinformátics at ProtoQSAR
2015-: Invited lecturar at the Master of Biomecial Biochemistry at the Universitat Politècnica de València.
2017-2021: Responsable of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility at the CIPF (Valencia).
2017: Research stage at King’s College of London.
2017-2019: Postdoctoral researcher at the Joint Research Unit of Metabolomics CIPF-IIES-laFe (Valencia).
2015: Research stage at KIT (Germany).
2007-2017: Postdoctoral researcher at the Structural Biochemistry group at CIPF (Valencia).
2006-2007: R&D technicien at Farmhispania R&D (Barcelona).
2005-2006: R&D technicien at Finnovequim, Fine Chemicals Process R&D.
2005: PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
2003. Master in Organic Chemistry from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
2001: Chemistry degree from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Patricia Serrano Candelas

Position: International Project Manager

2021: Incorporation to ProtoQSAR as a Project Manager.
2019-2021: Order Manager in Intersemillas, S.A.
2017-2018: Environmental Technician in the City Council of Utiel.
2018: Master’s Degree in Business Administration in Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
2016-2017: Collaboration in the Inmaculada Candelas consultancy.
2015-2016: Responsible of biological production in a marine microalgal industrial plant in Buggypower S.L.
2011-2015: Biologist in a marine microalgal industrial plant in Buggypower Gestão de Biomassa, Lda.
2010-2011: Leonardo da Vinci job intership in Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves.
2009: Master’s Degree in Marine Sciences in Universitat de Barcelona.
2008: Bachelor's degree in Biology in Universitat de València.

Laureano Carpio

Position: PhD student

2019: Incorporation to ProtoQSAR as a PhD student in the project: "Identification of new bioactive compounds generated by intestinal bacteria".
2019: Master’s Degree in Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, Elche. Final Master Project in the study of the interaction of Flavivirus protein E with the lipid membrane of the late endosome through computational techniques (Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Sanitary Biotechnology of Elche).
2018: Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia. Final project in Design and implementation of a software for the analysis of molecular dynamics of simulated macromolecules using Monte Carlo techniques (Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València).

Rita Ortega Vallbona

Position: PhD student

2021: Incorporation to ProtoQSAR as a PhD student in the project: “Development of a multitask expert system based on deep neural networks for hepatotoxicity prediction”.
2021: Master's Degree in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Open University of Catalonia. Final Master Project: “Research of nutraceuticals for the prrevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease”.
2020: Internship at ProtoQSAR as a Master’s Degree student.
2016: Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology, Polytechnic University of Valencia. Final Project: “Functional characterization of neonatal hepatocytes cryopreserved to be used in hepatic cell therapy.” (Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia).

David Talavera Cortés

Position: Bioinformatic Researcher

2023: Incorporation in ProtoQSAR as a bioinformatic researcher.
2022: Master’s Degree in Research and Development in Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Valencia, Valencia. Final Master Project in Coxsackievirus B3 proteases: Identification of novel cellular targets (Institute for Integrative Systems Biology).
2021: Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche. Final project in the effect of 5-Fluorouracil and Verteporfin on the infectivity and the innate immune response in viral infections of zebrafish cells (Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Sanitary Biotechnology of Elche).

Addel Arnaldo Goya Jorge

Position: Computer Specialist

2021: Joined ProtoQSAR as a computer specialist.
2019-2020: Master's degree in development of applications and Web services, Universitat d'Alacant.
2014-2016: Master´s degree in Bioinformatics, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas.
2012-2019: University Assistant Professor and Researcher, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas.
2007-2012: Bachelor´s degree of Computer Sciences, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas.