I am Claudio Alba Rubio, a microbiologist and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid. Within the PROBILAC group, I explore how the microbiota - the bacteria that have been with us since birth - shapes our health. My work bridges bioinformatics and laboratory benchwork to detect and isolate probiotic strains of Ligilactobacillus salivarius that can improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and even enrich cheeses and other functional foods.

I also study microbiome shifts in premature infants, older adults, and patients living with HIV or gout, aiming to turn scientific findings into everyday - and, whenever possible, tasty- solutions. When I’m not in front of my computer, teaching, or working in the lab, I enjoy nurturing my own microbiota by sharing food from around the world with family and friends — keeping both the microbes and their host happy.