About Blanca

I am a paleobiologist with a great interest into the biology and evolutionary dynamics of extinct small mammals. During my research career, I have pioneered the development of statistical models for estimating the body size in some groups of small mammals, and used innovative techniques in these taxa for obtaining crucial information about their life histories. I have disentangled significant eco-evolutionary trends and responses of small-sized mammals to insularity, providing a long-term baseline data to address the conservation and management of extant ones (susceptible to extinction by the coming climate change).

I studied Biology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2006-2010), and I obtained my MSc degree in Biological Anthropology from the University of Barcelona (2010-2011) with a research on the hipbone of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis). In my PhD Dissertation (2012-2016), I researched on the paleobiology of the insular small mammals from the Mediterranean Islands, specially their body mass evolution to gigantic forms and shifts in the biological strategy.

During the years 2016-2018, I was associate professor in the Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology Dept. of Autonomous University of Barcelona. Later (2018-2021, 30 months), I moved to Università degli Studi Rome Tre (Italy) to join the Paleontology Research Group of Prof. Angelone and Prof. Kotsakis with a competitive posdoctoral fellowship. This long stay allowed me to refine my investigation line towards the study of Lagomorpha, learning skills and competences in new research fields (taxonomy, paleobiogeography, etc.). 

Since 2021, I am a posdoctoral researcher in Universidade da Coruña (in the GRICA research group). In May 2022, I was awarded as IP with a 2 years funded project to carry out my own research line in the reconstruction of the biology and evolutionary dynamics of past lagomorphs (103.000,00 €).

My research trajectory is coupled with a broad teaching experience (>600h in BSc and MSc studies, 4 teaching accreditations) and supervision of young researchers (1 PhD student and 6 BSc students).

Research interests

Palaeobiology • Eco-Evolution • Life history • Cenozoic • Lagomorpha • Island Rule • Advanced stastistics • Small mammals • Body mass • Island ecosystems • Macroevolution • Morphometrics • Scientific illustration