Dromiciops Research Group


The Dromiciops Research Group is a group studying the biology of a relict mammal, Dromiciops gliroides using landscape genomics, physiology and isotopic ecology

Dromiciops Research Group

Biography

Nespolo is an ecophysiologist specializing in studies of adaptation to extreme environments in various organisms including mammals, insects, terrestrial mollusks, yeasts and recently, hibernating marsupials. He is a full professor at Universidad Austral de Chile. His research has since been continuously funded by competitive funds (Fondecyt regular, FIC-Regional, Rings, ECOS -Conicyt, MILENIO), and currently has a Fondecyt that addresses the adaptation to the environment and evolutionary biology of the endemic marsupial Dromiciops gliroides (mountain monkey).

He also participates as an associate researcher at the BASAL-Conicyt CAPES center (PUC) and the Instituto Milenio iBio (PUC), and is co-investigator in another 4 regular Fondecyt that address various problems of adaptation and acclimatization of microorganisms, plants and animals to changing environments. He directs the experimental evolution laboratory of the Institute of Environmental and Evolutionary Sciences (UACh). Currently he is working on molecular and physiological aspects of adaptation to climate change using the hibernating marsupial Dromiciops gliroides (“monito del monte”) as a biological model (Fondecyt), in addition to having an applied line of native yeast genetics with potential for craft brewery (FIC).

Interests
  • Ecophysiologist
  • Marsupials
  • Ecology
  • Evolution
Education

  • PhD in Biological Sciences, Ecology, 2002

    Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile

  • Biologist, 1996

    Universidad de Chile, Chile

People

Principal Investigator

Current Students

  • Juan Pablo Bravo Salazar (Natural Resources Conservation Engineer, UACH)
  • María Isidora Camus Rojas (Msc science mention Ecology, UACH)
  • Cristian Cortes Parra (Msc science mention Ecology, UACH)
  • Kamila Urbina Hillmer (Msc science mention Genetics, UACH)

Past Students

Undergraduate students

  • 2010: Pablo Cortés (Bs. Biology, UACH)
  • 2012: Andrea Bruning (Bs. Biology, UACH)
  • 2012: Carolina Contreras (Bs. Biology, UACH)
  • 2017: Julio Figueroa (Bs. Biology, UACH)
  • 2019: Pablo Quintrel (Ing. Biotechnology, USACH)
  • 2020: Sebastian Flores (Ing. Biotechnology, USACH)
  • 2020: Rodrigo Contreras (Veterinarian, UACH)
  • 2021: Paulina Gutiérrez (Natural Resources Conservation Engineer, UACH)
  • 2021: Macarena Alvarado (Veterinarian, UACH)
  • 2021: Claudia Pereira (Veterinarian, UACH)
  • 2022: Isabella Peña Rocco (Veterinarian, UACH)
  • 2022: Maite Villalobos Avedaño (Veterinarian, UACH)
  • 2023: Tamara Estay (Bs. Biology, UPC)
  • 2023: María Isidora Camus Rojas (Veterinarian, UCHILE)
  • 2024: Felipe Martín Ortiz Orellana (Veterinarian, UACH)

Master

Doctorate

Post-doc advisoring

  • 2012: Paulina Artacho (funded by FONDECYT)
  • 2012: Marcela Franco (funded by FONDECYT)
  • 2011: Luis Castañeda (funded by FONDECYT)

Recent Posts

EL MONITO DEL MONTE: UN CAMPEÓN DEL AHORRO ENERGÉTICO
El monito del monte es un marsupial endémico de los bosques templados del Sur que pasa todo el invierno hibernando, durante este letargo que es mucho más profundo que el sueño, la temperatura corporal puede descender hasta 5°C y los monitos parecieran estar muertos. Debido a esto, las personas cuando los encuentran entre los troncos de árboles piensan que están moribundos y los acercan al calor y alimentan, provocando un estrés térmico y desbalances fisiológicos que pueden acabar con la vida del animal en un par de semanas.
Last updated on Nov 17, 2021 8 min read

Contact