Ainoa Planas Riverola

Ainoa Planas Riverola was born in 1993 in Barcelona, Spain. Since childhood, Ainoa demonstrated a curiosity for animals and plants, which fueled her love for biology, specifically genetics, during high school. She obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Genetics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, focusing her studies on cancer genetics.

In 2022, she obtained her PhD in Genetics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. During her doctoral studies, she focused on investigating how plant stem cells divide in response to DNA damage, a process associated with cancer. Upon completing her PhD, driven by the growing importance of epigenetics, she joined the Josep Carreras Institute to acquire cutting-edge methodologies and contribute to the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In addition to her scientific pursuits, Ainoa is deeply interested in the effective communication of scientific information, education, and research initiatives to bridge the gap with society. She has extensive experience in writing scientific articles, presenting scientific information through posters or oral presentations, and engaging with physicians, scientists, and the general public.

During her leisure time, Ainoa enjoys hiking with her two dogs, cooking, reading fantasy books, and playing video games as well as role-playing games and board games.

Her main specialty areas include:

• Molecular biology

• Genetics

• Cancer