Jorge Lopez-Tello

Contact emails: jorge.lopeztello@uam.es / jl898@cam.ac.uk Twitter: @JLopTello ----- From the very beginning of my scientific career, my research has been devoted to improving our understanding of the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms underlying pregnancy complications and metabolic diseases. As a Principal Investigator at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain (Faculty of Medicine), I currently hold a 5-years César Nombela Research Talent Attraction Fellowship (2024/29). This fellowship complements my previous awards during my postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge: (1) Royal Society Newton International Fellowship (2018–2020). (2) Sir Henry Wellcome Trust Fellowship (2020–2024). My research can be divided into the following lines: 1) The role of maternal nutrition in driving feto-placental growth: My PhD investigated the impact of maternal undernutrition on feto-placental growth (Summa Cum Laude, Complutense University Veterinary Dissertation Award). Now, I am exploring: 1.1. The impact of maternal and paternal obesity on placental metabolism and fetal growth in collaboration with the Prof. Sferruzzi-Perri (University of Cambridge, UK). 1.2. The potential of avocado powder as a nutritional intervention for metabolic diseases with Dr. Tatiana El-Bacha (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). 1.3. The effects of the Mediterranean diet on placental metabolism with Dr. Fatima Crispi (BCNatal, Spain). 2) Maternal gut microbiota and feto-placental development: In collaboration with Prof. Lindsay Hall (University of Birmingham, UK), we investigate whether maternal gut microbiota influences fetal growth. Our research suggests that Bifidobacterium breve impacts placental function, affecting fetal metabolism and growth. Some of our work has been published in Molecular Metabolism and Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 3) Phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway in maternal-fetal resource allocation: Over the past seven years, I have studied the PI3K pathway to better understand its role in the pathogenesis of fetal growth restriction. This work has resulted in six publications, including studies in eLife and PNAS, as well as two additional papers where I served as a co-senior and co-corresponding author through my supervisory roles. 4) Decoding how imprinted genes control placental endocrine function: Imprinted genes are critical regulators of placental function. As a Royal Society Fellow and later with my Sir Henry Wellcome Trust Fellowship, I employed a unique placental endocrine cell-specific approach to investigate the selective deletion of insulin-like growth factor-2 (Igf2) and H19 in placental endocrine cells. My research at the University of Cambridge indicates that placental endocrine function significantly influences maternal metabolic health during pregnancy, with implications for her future metabolic health and the development of her offspring. This work was published in Cell Metabolism and widely covered in media, including The Independent, Science, and Nature Review Endocrinology. 5) Metabolic imprinting - Metabolic memories: As an independent scientist, I am currently assessing how metabolic diseases during critical life periods (early life, lactation, and adolescence) can affect reproductive outcomes (placental formation, fetal growth, and maternal health). **Markers of Research Esteem / My career accomplishments include: a) Conducting research that advances understanding of pregnancy complications and the early-life origins of poor maternal and offspring health in both developed and developing countries. b) Securing independent funding through highly competitive fellowships and receiving multiple awards (e.g., Fertility Conferences, IFPA, Endocrinology Society Early Career Award, Physiological Society Professional Development Award, USA Frontiers in Reproduction) and travel grants (e.g., Genetics Society, The Company of Biologists). c) Publishing over 35 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals, including Cell Metabolism, PNAS, Developmental Cell, Molecular Metabolism, CMLS, and eLife, along with one book chapter (22 H-index). d) Speaking at conferences and institutions worldwide (e.g., University of Melbourne, University of Technology Sydney, University of Pennsylvania, KU Leuven, University of Buenos Aires). e) Involvement in teaching and supervising scientists, postgraduate, and undergraduate students. I am highly committed to mentoring, fostering an inclusive research environment, and actively promoting diversity and inclusion within my field. f) Serving as a reviewer for funding agencies (e.g., Polish National Grant, Royal Society) and as a scientific reviewer for over 32 international journals, including Science Advances, Journal of Physiology, eLife, and Gut Microbes. g) Engaging in public outreach activities, presenting talks on my research and career path to schools and the public in the UK and Spain.

Papers in database

2

Primary author

2 papers

Years active

2024 – 2025

Total publications

76

Total citations

1,562

h-index

20