Albert Perlas
Qualifications
Degree in Veterinary Medicine
MSc One Health and Zoonoses
Mic Bioinformatics and Biostatistics
PhD in Animal Health
Position
Researcher
Research Overview
I am a postdoctoral researcher and ECZM-WPH resident. My study focuses on the use of environmental samples to improve wildlife disease surveillance in a non-invasive manner. Additionally, I will leverage real-time genomics to enable portable and rapid sequencing for both targeted and metagenomic approaches aimed at characterizing emerging pathogens in wildlife.
Background
I am a veterinarian with training in infectious diseases, One Health, bioinformatics, and biostatistics, and I completed my PhD at the UAB and IRTA-CReSA, where I investigated host–environment interactions in avian influenza. I have developed strong international experience at my former role as a postdoctoral researcher and lab lead in Prof. Lara Urban’s group at Helmholtz AI & Pioneer Campus (Munich). There, I coordinated projects on nanopore sequencing, AI-driven genomics, and field-deployable surveillance tools, while mentoring PhD and MSc researchers. Also, I have served as principal investigator on a Horizon Europe ISIDORe project and a German One Health pilot grant, enabling collaborations across Europe and supporting research that integrates pathobiology, genomics, and environmental data.
Beyond research, I co-founded AVAFES Nacional in Spain, which actively promotes scientific outreach on wildlife. My career combines interdisciplinary expertise, international mobility, and emerging leadership to advance One Health research.
