Manuel Maldonado

Manuel Maldonado was born in Madrid (Spain). He graduated in Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1986 and received his PhD in Zoology from the University of Barcelona in 1993. He was a Fulbright postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Larval Ecology of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (Florida, USA) during 1994 and 1995, under the supervision of Prof. Craig M. Young. There he learned the reproductive biology and ecology of marine invertebrates and became familiar with deep-sea ecosystems and research with manned submersibles. He returned to Spain for a second postdoctoral stay (1996-1998), funded by a program of Contratos de Reincorporación de Doctores sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education for the recovery of talent. The reincorporation took place at the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB), belonging to the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). In 1999, he obtained, by competitive examination, an interim position as Scientist at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). He was subsequently promoted, also by competitive examination, to Staff Scientist (Colaborador Científico) in 1999, to Staff Investigator (Investigador Científico) in 2009 and to Research Professor (Profesor de Investigación) in 2023. Throughout his career, Dr. Maldonado has developed his research activity in the field of Marine Benthic Biology and Ecology, with special emphasis on the Porifera group (sponges). He has gradually become an expert in sponge taxonomy, reproductive biology, ecophysiology, ultrastructure and cell biology, and molecular biology. He has discovered several new species and has made discoveries on reproductive strategies and microbiome transmission, larval behavior, cytology and ultrastructure of the group, ecological functions and their impact on oceanic biogeochemical cycles, silica production process, importance of sponges in the evolutionary ascent of animals, and conservation of deep and shallow water flagship species, among others. In 2013. Dr. Maldonado founded, within the CSIC, the "Sponge Ecobiology and Biotechnology (SEB)" to deepen the research on ecological, biological and biotechnological aspects of sponges.