Investigates a potential drug against the parasite Cryptospodirium

Antonio Rodriguez enjoys life as an 'Excellence by Choice' postdoctoral fellow in Christian Hedberg lab and Lars-Anders Carlson lab.

ImageMattias Pettersson

I am surprised in a positive way by the collaborative environment 

What is your research focusing on?

“My current work focuses on investigating the chemical and structural mode of action at the molecular level of a novel experimental drug against the parasitic genus Cryptosporidium. These microscopic protozoa are responsible for cryptosporidiosis, an acute gastrointestinal infection affecting a wide range of mammalian hosts, including ruminants and humans.”

How did you end up in Northern Sweden and at Umeå University?

“As an enthusiast of the world of structural proteins, after completing my PhD focused on crystallography, I sought to shift to a group engaged in structural biology through electron microscopy.”

What is challenging and rewarding respectively with being a researcher?

“The most rewarding part is the moment when you see your hypotheses starting to make sense, based on the experiments you design step by step, until you reach an explanation for something new that no one has described before.”

“The most difficult part is that in science, the shortest path is rarely the right one. You must be prepared for all kinds of challenges that may arise or for things to fail during the process.”

What are your first impressions of Umeå and its university?

“The city is welcoming! I am impressed by the amount of nature that embraces and accompanies people in their daily lives regardless of the season of the year. The university and the departments contain useful research platforms, and the high-level infrastructures and equipment it comprises to carry out scientific research is striking. I am also surprised in a positive way by the collaborative environment at the department.”

What is your driving force to do research in life science?

“There may be something inherent within me, as I have a deep passion for understanding the various elements and mechanisms that surround us and govern life and the workings of the world.”

What is your academic background?

“I completed my degree in Biology at University of Salamanca in Spain. During my postgraduate master´s programme, I immersed myself in the cancer biology from a structural perspective. My curiosity led me to continue focusing on structural biology and the regulatory mechanisms of proteins involved in cancer during my PhD studies, which I also pursued at the Cancer Research Centre in Salamanca under the supervision of Dr. José María de Pereda.”

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“I see myself continuing in a research position with an emphasis on designing and executing experiments in the laboratory.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

“I enjoy spending time engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, or cycling while I relax myself surrounded by the nature. However, I also take pleasure in indoor activities, whether it is participating in different sports or simply reading a good book.“

Antonio Rodriguez in the lab at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.

ImageMattias Pettersson