My name is Pablo Jiménez López, and I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Almería. My background is Biochemistry and I am specialized in immunometabolism and its role in the development of cardiometabolic disorders.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
No two days are exactly the same in research, which is precisely what keeps the role so engaging. I consider myself an early bird, so I typically arrive early at the laboratory to set up the cell culture hood. While it primes, I dedicate time to managing urgent emails and planning the day’s experimental workflow. The rest of my hours are dynamically split between preparing cell assays, executing molecular biology experiments and analysing data.
What first sparked your interest in working in the field of obesity?
I became fascinated by the fact that obesity is far more than an excess of fat. It is a complex, chronic low-grade inflammatory state that completely rewires the host immune system. Understanding this intricate intersection between immunology and metabolism and its direct causal links to cardiometabolic disorders motivated me to look deeper into the exact cellular mechanisms that could serve as novel therapeutic targets in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
What’s one tool, method, or hack that makes your work life easier that you wish everyone knew about?
Reference managers such as Zotero are incredibly useful. They help organize literature, manage PDFs, and generate citations and bibliographies automatically, saving time and reducing errors when writing scientific papers. It’s one of those tools I wish I had discovered much earlier.
How has being part of the ECN changed your journey so far?
Although I am a recent addition to the network, the time I spent collaborating with members at the ECO 2026 congress in Istanbul was a true milestone. The incredible warmth, openness and inclusivity shown by the ECN Board members and fellow peers made a profound impression on me. It has immediately made me feel part of a broader European scientific community and has shown me that this network will be an invaluable catalyst for my future career development.
What has been the most rewarding or exciting project that you’ve worked on?
Without a doubt, it is my current PhD thesis project. I am investigating the impacts of emerging environmental pollutants, specifically microplastics and nanoplastics on the development and progression of cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Exploring how these ubiquitous particles interact with our biological systems at a molecular level is incredibly exciting and fulfilling, given its critical relevance to modern public health.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to the “you” who was just starting out?
Be patient and trust the process. In research, things rarely work on the first try, but unexpected experimental results or ‘failures’ often teach you more than immediate success. Also, start networking and sharing your ideas from day one!
What excites you most about the future of obesity research?
What excites me most is the paradigm shift toward acknowledging obesity as a heterogeneous condition driven not just by genetics or behavior, but also by environmental determinants. Uncovering how modern-world exposures, like microplastics, disrupt immunometabolic homeostasis opens up a completely new frontier for precision prevention and multi-disciplinary science.
Where do you see yourself in five years – what’s your dream project or role?
In five years, my goal is to secure a position that seamlessly combines university-level teaching with high-impact research. I am deeply passionate about education and I see it as a great opportunity to inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists. On the scientific side, I aim to lead projects exploring the precise molecular pathways through which micro- and nanoplastics alter the human immune system and trigger cardiometabolic complications, leveraging international networks to achieve global collaboration.
What kinds of projects or initiatives would you be most interested in collaborating on with other ECN members?
Since my background is rooted in basic science, I am highly interested in establishing collaborative, translational bridges with clinical researchers. Specifically, I would love to connect with colleagues to investigate correlations between microplastic accumulation in patients and clinical metabolic biomarkers. Clinical data on plastic pollution is still very scarce, yet it represents an environmental reality we all face. Blending basic molecular insights with clinical reality is essential to understanding the full scope of its impact on human health.
Is there anything else you’d like the ECN to know about you?
As an early-career researcher from Spain, I am deeply grateful for the immediate warmth and inclusivity the ECN has shown me, which was particularly evident during my time at the ECO 2026 congress. While basic research in the lab can sometimes feel like an isolated journey, being part of this network reminds us that we are part of a vibrant, interconnected European community. Beyond the laboratory, I am fortunate to live and work on the beautiful coast of Almería. I would love to welcome fellow ECN members to the South of Spain and my inbox is always open on LinkedIn for anyone wishing to chat about immunometabolism, environmental pollutants, or potential translational collaborations. I truly look forward to contributing to and growing alongside this inspiring community.
Connect with Pablo!
Email: pjl955@ual.es
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-jim%C3%A9nez-l%C3%B3pez-aba09b112/
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