Meet Amanda Muñoz-Juan who joined the Nordic EMBL Partnership as NORPOD Fellows in the fall of 2024. Amanda joined the labs of Gilles Vanwelleghem, DANDRITE, working together with Björn Schröder, MIMS, on the project “Comparative gut epithelial dynamics during inflammation”​. The project focuses on the gut microbiome’s role in inflammation, using models of zebrafish at the Vanwelleghem lab and mouse at the Schröder lab.

Amanda hails from Fuenmayor, La Rioja, Spain, known for its charming people and wine. She moved to Barcelona for her biotechnology studies, joining the Nanobiotechnology group at IBB in her final year to work on protein production and purification. She earned a master’s in advanced nanoscience and nanotechnology and pursued a PhD in biotechnology in the Nanoparticles and Nanocomposite group at ICMAB-CSIC.

“I used the nematode C. elegans to evaluate nanomaterials, focusing on the biological interaction of bacterial nanocellulose fibres with organisms. My PhD allowed me to collaborate with various groups on nanomaterials for biomedical applications. An EMBO scientific exchange grant took me to Houston, USA, where I was introduced to the C. elegans gut microbiome."

Exploring the gut microbiome: the journey to the NORPOD postdoc programme 

“The initial contact with the gut microbiome during my doctoral thesis made me aware of the relevance of bacterial communities in our intestine and well-being. I realised that I had several questions that did not yet have answers. Therefore, I decided to continue my research career in this field and I looked for a postdoc opportunity related to the gut microbiome."

"I found the NORPOD postdoc programme quite interesting; the different topics it offers and the possibility of collaborating between two entities in two different countries attracted me the most. I was also looking for a long-term fellowship, so two and a half years is quite a reasonable period for learning and obtaining results. In addition, I wanted to learn some new techniques, and I think this program also offers the opportunity to acquire new skills."

Amanda highlights the help from the coordinators and supervisors she received during the selection process and after that, making the arrival and first days more manageable. 

“Before coming, I knew about the Nordic EMBL due to the quality of their work and research facilities. However, I am now discovering more about the four nodes that constitute the Nordic EMBL and the activities they are involved in. I am eager to participate in some of them soon.”

Embarking on a NORPOD Fellowship: discovery and growth

“I am excited about this new adventure as a NORPOD fellow. I have started at Aarhus University, where I am discovering Danish culture and meeting my colleagues. I find the new topic I am involved in interesting, and I am now learning how the zebrafish facility works. I am catching up with the recent literature, and organising a plan for the next two years. In addition, I cannot wait to meet the other group at MIMS, Umeå University! There, I will learn how to work with the mouse gut microbiome, and be introduced to Swedish culture."

"These two years will be full of challenges, but they will enrich my scientific career and allow me to discover two new countries. I could not have chosen a better place to start my postdoc period!”

Career aspirations and NORPOD: enhancing the research career

“My objective is that the research I am doing in the laboratory at some point arrives in society. For this reason, I have always tried to work surrounded by talented people from whom I can learn a lot. During my PhD I had the chance to learn working with the simple model organism, C. elegans, to evaluate newly designed nanomaterials."

"Thanks to the NORPOD programme, I will learn how to work with two different models, zebrafish and mice. I will be exploring the gut microbiome, a trending topic that regulates many biological pathways and whose precise interaction mechanisms are still largely unknown. I believe this project will significantly enhance my career prospects."

"As for my future plans, I would like to continue in academia, teaching newcomers and doing research in exciting areas. The NORPOD programme will help me acquire new skills and attend several seminars, aiding my growth as a scientist and bringing me closer to the future I envision.”