Lab members

Borja Mila
Borja Milá, PI.
Javi Sala, MNCN. FPI Doctoral Grant, 2020-2024. Comparative genomics along an avian speciation continuum.
Bárbara Freitas, MNCN. FCT Doctoral Grant (Portugal), 2021-2025. Co-directed with Christophe Thébaud. The role of song in speciation processes in island birds.
Andrea Lirola, MNCN. FPU Doctoral Grant, 2023-2027. Ecology and genomics of island birds.
Miguel Fernández Janoher, MNCN. FPI Doctoral Grant, 2023-2027. Local adaptation and speciation in island birds.

Former members:

María Recuerda, MNCN. FPU Doctoral Grant, 2017-2022. Co-directed with Rafa Zardoya and Guillermo Blanco. Genomics of speciation in island birds.
Enrique Sáez Laguna, Postdoctoral Fellow, Comparative genomics of recent avian radiations.
Guillermo Friis, MNCN, FPI Doctoral Grant, 2014-2018. Geographic variation in molecular markers, phenotypic traits and ecological variables in the radiation of North American juncos (Junco hyemalis). Defended in February 2018. Currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at New York University in Abu Dhabi.
Maëva Gabrielli, Université de Toulouse, Co-directed with Christophe Thébaud. Speciation genomics of the gray white-eye (Zosterops borbonicus) on Reunion Island. Defended 7/2020. Currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ferrara, Italy.
Etienne Kornobis, Postdoctoral Researcher, Phylogenomics and transcriptomics of North American juncos (Junco hyemalis). Currently a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.
Boris Delahaie, Université de Toulouse, France. Hybrid zone dynamics along ecological gradients in the intra-island diversification of Zosterops borbonicus. PhD Thesis co-directed with Christophe Thébaud. Currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Cambridge University, UK.
Yann Bourgeois, Université de Toulouse, France. The evolution of plumage color in the intra-island diversification of Zosterops borbonicus. PhD Thesis, co-directed with Christophe Thébaud. Currently a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, UK. Jose Luis Hórreo, MNCN, Postdoc 2013.

Former Master’s students:

  • Mercè Palacios, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain (2021), Title: “Divergencia fenotípica del pinzón vulgar (Fringilla coelebs) en la isla oceánica de La Palma”.
  • Jorge García Calleja, Master Project 2021, Master en Bioinformática y Biología Computacional, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Co-directed with María Recuerda. «Methods for detecting positive selection in the genomes of insular birds».
  • Alejandro Alamán, Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo – CSIC, Spain (2020), Title: “Phylogeography and systematics of passerine species in remote mountain ranges of New Guinea”.
  • Pablo Salinas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain (2018), co-directed with G. Blanco. Title: “Genetic diversity and conservation genetics of Iberian rooks Corvus frugilegus”.
  • Natalia Rojas, Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo – CSIC, Spain (2018), Title: “Population size and genetic diversity in two threatened Central American highland songbirds: estimates from field surveys and molecular data”
  • Ester Martínez Renau, Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo – CSIC, Spain (2018), Title: “Habitat use and population viability of the volcano junco Junco vulcani in Costa Rica”.
  • Alba Aparicio, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain (2016). Title: “Diferenciación genética y filogeografía del colibrí de Ana (Calypte anna) en isla Guadalupe, México”.
  • Laura Mármol, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain (2015). Title: “Song variation in the Setophaga coronata complex (Aves: Parulidae): implications for systematics and the evolution of song structure”.
  • Marcel Caminer, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain (2014). Title: “Diversidad genética y variabilidad fenotípica dentro del complejo de especies Dendropsophus leucophyllatus (Beireis, 1783) y Dendropsophus triangulum (Günther, 1869) (Anura: Hylidae)”.
  • Alvar Veiga, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain (2014). Title: Diferenciación genética, filogeografía y ecomorfología del camachuelo mexicano (Haemorrhous mexicanus amplus) en isla Guadalupe, México
  • Guillermo Friis, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain (2013). Title: “Multiple factors in the diversification of the songbird genus Junco: inferences from morphological, spectral and molecular data”.
  • Pau Aleixandre Mallol, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain (2011). Title: “Genetic and phenotypic divergence of the endangered Junco insularis on Guadalupe Island, México”.
  • Alberto Muñoz Saldaña, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain (2011). Title: “Distancias genéticas intraespecíficas en aves amazónicas: implicaciones para el uso de códigos de barras en la delimitación de especies y la inferencia de procesos evolutivos”.
  • Adán Oliveras de Ita, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México (co-directed with Ken Oyama, 2011). Title: “Genetic evidence for recent range fragmentation and severely restricted dispersal in the critically endangered Sierra Madre sparrow (Xenospiza bayleyi)”.