PI BIO

RAQUEL ESPIN PALAZON
Dr. Raquel Espin Palazon received her bachelor’s degree in biology, and PhD in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from University of Murcia, Spain. She continued with a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Raquel Espin Palazon established her independent laboratory in the United States in 2019, when she joined Iowa State University as an Assistant Professor of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology. She is a highly respected young leader in the field of stem cell and developmental biology. Particularly, she pioneered the discovery that inflammatory signaling pathways are critical to establish the birth of blood stem cells during natural embryonic development in the absence of injury or infections.
Her research group is currently driving forward this new frontier of research with novel zebrafish tools and epigenetic profiling methods that provide a unique advantage to assess stem cell development in vivo while avoiding the pitfalls of artifactual inflammation triggered by more invasive techniques. This has positioned her laboratory at the forefront of the study of Developmental Inflammation, becoming a foundation for the stem cell and developmental biology communities, and will contribute more broadly to regenerative medicine and cure of blood disease.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2023 Rosalind Franklin Society Special Award in Science.
2023 GDCB Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching.
2023 ISU Student Employee Supervisor of the Year Finalist.
2022 Pew Biomedical Scholar nominee, selected by Iowa State University
2022 GDCB Early-Career Research Award
2023 – 2024 K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award supplement
2017 – 2022 K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award
2016 – 2018 American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Scholar
2014 – 2015 Fundación Séneca, Agencia Regional de Ciencia y Tecnología Postdoctoral Scholar
2011 – 2012 Short-Term Research Scholar from Fundación Séneca, Agencia Regional de Ciencia y Tecnología. University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA – Mentor: Dr. David Traver
2012 Travel Award, 10th International Meeting on Zebrafish Development and Genetics
2011 Best Scientific Poster, Annual Zebrafish Disease Model 4 (ZDM4), Edinburgh, Scotland
2010 Travel Award, 9th International Meeting on Zebrafish Development and Genetics
2010 Short-Term Research Scholar from Fundación Séneca, Agencia Regional de Ciencia y Tecnología. National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), Madrid, Spain. Mentor: Nadia Mercader Huber
2009-2013 Graduate School Fellow by Fundación Séneca, Agencia Regional de Ciencia y Tecnología. University of Murcia, Spain
2009-2013 Graduate School Fellow by the University of Murcia. University of Murcia, Spain. (Declined)
2009-2013 Graduate School Fellow by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education. University of Murcia, Spain. (Declined)
2008 Young Researcher’s Scholar by the University of Murcia. University of Murcia, Spain
2008 CICERONE Scholar, Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research
2007 Undergraduate Research Scholar by the University of Murcia. University of Murcia, Spain
CONTACT
Raquel Espin Palazon
Iowa State University
Advanced Teaching and Research Building (ATRB)
2213 Pammel Dr.
Ames, IA 50011 (USA)
Email: espin@iastate.edu