Jose Antonio Enriquez

José Antonio Enríquez graduated in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid and received his doctorate from the University of Zaragoza (UniZar) in 1992. During his thesis he studied various aspects of mitochondrial DNA biogenesis (mtDNA). Between 1993 and 1997 he worked with G. Attardi at the California Institute of Technology, where he investigated the pathogenic action of mutated mitochondrial tRNAs. His work during this period helped define the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon and helped establish a general methodology for the study of mitochondrial tRNAs. This methodology has been applied in mitochondrial biogenesis studies, as well as in the analysis of diseases related to mtDNA. In 1997 José Antonio returned to UniZar as Assistant Professor to initiate his independent research group (GENOXPHOS), in 1999 he become Associated Professor and in 2007 Full Professor at UniZar. Dr. Enriquez joined the CNIC in 2009, where he focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease and ischemic processes.