Synthetic Ecology and Evolution Lab.
PhD in Molecular Biotechnology, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
pablo.villareal@umayor.cl
Bluesky : @pablo-villa.bsky.social
In the Synthetic Ecology and Evolution Lab (SEEL), we investigate how environmental factors (particularly temperature gradients and drought cycles) shape the structure, diversity, and metabolic activities of microbial communities. By combining field sampling across Chile’s unique latitudinal and bioclimatic zones (from sub-Antarctic soils to human-managed systems such as vineyards), we aim to uncover the molecular basis that governs ecological resilience under climatic stress. Additionally, in the context of global warming, we are interested in exploring how rising temperatures can encourage the emergence and proliferation of pathogenic species in natural environments.
To accomplish this, we employ advanced genomic and multi-omic tools. We use high-resolution community profiling via third-generation (Oxford Nanopore) and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to map taxonomic shifts and functional potentials in situ. Additionally, we employ environmental mesocosms that simulate drought and temperature extremes to connect changes in microbial composition with soil chemistry, nutrient cycling, and microbial community interactions.
In parallel, SEEL designs and evaluates Synthetic Microbial Communities (SynComs) for diverse applications, ranging from agricultural and environmental solutions to optimized production of fermented beverages. By employing a bottom-up assembly of defined yeast species, we develop consortia that not only promote plant growth and nutrient solubilization under stress but also deliver tailored fermentation profiles for beverage production. Our interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of genomics, microbiology, ecology, and biotechnology enhances our understanding of microbial ecosystem dynamics and translates it into sustainable solutions for agriculture and conservation.
Biological questions guiding our work
Dr. Pablo Villarreal holds a degree in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering from the University of Chile. He completed his doctoral thesis at the Genetics Laboratory of the Faculty of Sciences at the same institution, where he investigated the physiological adaptation of Antarctic yeasts to low temperatures and freezing processes. Subsequently, as a postdoctoral researcher (2020–2023), he led the Fondecyt Postdoctoral Project 3200575, in which he combined phylogenomic and physiological approaches to characterize yeast populations from Patagonian and fermentative environments.
His research focuses on the functional dynamics of microbial communities under abiotic stress, the genetic and molecular mechanisms of thermal tolerance, and the design of synthetic consortia (SynComs) for agroecosystems. Since 2024, he has been leading the Fondecyt Iniciación Project 11240649, which explores the molecular bases of the adaptation of sub-Antarctic yeasts to temperature fluctuations.
He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics at Universidad Mayor, a Junior Researcher at the Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), and participates in various interdisciplinary projects.
