Raquel is a postdoctoral researcher and recipient of a Ramón Areces Fellowship. She obtained a BSc in Biomedicine and a Master’s degree in Translational Research Medicine from the University of Barcelona, where she first became interested in stem cell biology and the development of physiologically relevant human in vitro models to study tissue function and disease.

She subsequently completed her PhD at IDIBAPS and the University of Barcelona and her doctoral research focused on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and liver organoids to investigate liver cell plasticity and the mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis, a key feature of chronic liver disease.

She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Prof. Francesca Spagnoli, where her work centers on understanding how the pancreatic micro-environment shapes cellular identity during development and disease. Her research focuses particularly on the role of the matrisome as critical regulators of cell fate, tissue organization, and cellular plasticity within the pancreas. By combining stem cell–based models, organoid systems, and developmental biology approaches, she investigates how changes in the extracellular niche influence pancreatic cell function and contribute to disease processes. Through this work, she aims to uncover fundamental mechanisms governing pancreatic tissue homeostasis and regeneration, ultimately supporting the development of more physiologically relevant disease models and novel regenerative strategies.