Team members

Ikerbasque Research Professor at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and Ad-Honorem Professor at The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), his research focuses on the study of crystallization phenomena in areas such as the formation of giant crystals, self-organization in biological and geological structures with implications for the origin of life, the detection of primitive life, and the development of new materials. He leads the ambitious European ERC-Synergy project 'The role of silica in the dawn of life on our planet' (PROTOS) and is a cultural provocateur committed to promoting scientific culture and fostering the exchange between art and science.

Dr. Christian Jenewein is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) in the research group of Prof. Juan Manuel García Ruiz. His research centers on the origin of life, focusing on early Earth and Martian environments. Using Miller-type experiments, he recreates diverse atmospheric and mineralogical conditions in the laboratory, to study the molecular and morphological prebiotic chemistry characteristic of the Hadean and Noachian eras, uncovering essential preliminary stages in the emergence of life. In collaboration with the European Space Agency, Dr. Jenewein’s work also supports the ExoMars Science Working Team by refining our understanding of molecular and morphological biosignatures and supplying critical abiotic reference samples for instrument reference and analysis.

Maxime Durelle is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), working in the research group of Professor Juan Manuel García-Ruiz. His research focuses on the mechanisms of crystal nucleation and growth in solution. His work aims to improve our understanding of how solution conditions and precursor species formed prior to crystallisation interact with the nucleation of one crystal form and the growth of specific morphologies. He completed his PhD at the Université Paris-Saclay, at the IRAMIS/NIMBE (CEA Saclay), defending his thesis on the non-classical nucleation of cerium oxalate in 2022. He then undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Leeds, in the Fiona Meldrum group, studying the polymorph selection mechanism of the calcium carbonate system until 2025. He has an expertise in X-ray scattering techniques and transmission electron microscopy for characterising crystalline or amorphous structures ranging from the angstrom to the micron scale, as well as adapting these techniques for in situ experiments using a synchrotron light source.

Andrés holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Seville and a Master’s degree in Culture of Peace, Conflict, Education, and Human Rights from the UNESCO Chair in Conflict Resolution at the University of Córdoba. He also completed a Master’s in Teacher Training for Secondary and High School Education, with a specialization in French. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at the Institute for Migration Studies at the University of Granada.
He has experience in managing scientific projects funded by Horizon Europe, as well as in the dissemination and communication of research outcomes. Within the framework of the European project NCP_WIDERA.NET, he worked as a project manager for the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), where he was responsible for organizing capacity-building workshops on proposal writing and pre-screening, delivered both in-person and online, aimed at providing continuous training for the National Contact Points (NCPs) of the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area programme, enabling them to deliver effective and high-quality support services.He also contributed to the production of outreach materials such as Success Stories publications and informational brochures on Horizon Europe funding opportunities.