Jose Maria Navas

Dr. Navas is a Research Professor at the Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA), from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) in Madrid. Since June 6th 2019 he occupies also the position of Deputy Director for Research at INIA, CSIC. This Deputy Direction is constituted by 491 people (162 research scientists) integrated in three Research Institutes and six Departments. Dr. Navas is actively working on the integration of the research activities into CSIC and has an important role in the management of research at the institute (identification of calls, application of projects, management of projects, intermediate and final justification) together with representation functions. In relation to his education trajectory, Dr. Navas obtained his PhD in Biology after defending a thesis on reproductive physiology of fish in 1997 at the University of Valencia. All the experimental work was carried out at the Institute of Aquaculture of Torre de la Sal (CSIC). Thereafter he worked at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany, in the framework of a Marie Curie fellowship (June 1997 – December 1999) using in vitro cell culture techniques for the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying endocrine disruption phenomena. He came back to Spain and worked in a private company (Soria Natural, S.L.) as head of the R&D department (January 2000 – June 2000). Thereafter, with a Marie Curie Return Fellowship he continue the studies about endocrine disruption in fish for a year (July 2000 – May 2001) at the Institute of Aquaculture of Torre de la Sal. He was awarded with a variety of research contracts devoted to outstanding young scientists (Ministry of Science Return Contract June 2001 – December 2001; Ramón y Cajal Contract, January 2002-April 2005). In the framework of these contracts, he moved to INIA where he continued working on endocrine disrupters. He gained a permanent position at the INIA in May 2005 as a Scientist. In December 2017 he promoted to Research Scientist and in September 2018 to Research Professor. In 2009 he started to coordinate the research group on Effects of Environmental Contaminants. The group is composed nowadays (July 2023) by another Research Scientist, two Scientists, three technicians with a permanent position and a number of contract researchers and technicians that has oscillated along time between eight and 14. In research, he is particularly interested in the mechanisms underlying the toxic action of chemicals and manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs). He has always worked on endocrine disruption phenomena in fish, with a particular emphasis on anti-estrogenic phenomena and on the relationship between the induction of detoxification processes and endocrine disruption. In 2009, he started to work with MNMs. Together with MNMs he is also working with Graphene Related Materials (GRMs) and with Advanced Materials. In this field, he tries to describe the processes of interaction of these materials with living systems, particularly observing their possible internalization in cells considering of the possibility of using them as carriers of other substances but also taking into account the idea that this kind of materials could facilitate the penetration of other pollutants into biota and enhance their toxicity. In the last years (since 2018) he has open a new line of research about the possible effects of biocides (rodenticides) on rodent populations with a focus on the induction of population resistances to these substances. The work related with development and regulation has also had an important weight in his career. He is particularly interested in the development of methods for the hazard assessment of chemicals and MNMs. As a representative of Spanish competent authorities, he carries out this kind of activities always in a close contact and coordination with OECD. Since 2009 he manages a group of technicians that performs all the work related with the evaluation and registration of biocidal substances and products at the European and national levels. He takes part at the ECHA Nanomaterials Expert Group (NMEG), the OECD Working Group of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme (WNT) or the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN). Of particular relevance is the fact that he has been a member of the ESAC (Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Reference Laboratory for the Development of Alternative Methods, EURL-ECVAM) between 2013 and 2020. As a member of the ESAC, he has chaired one of the working groups, has participated in another one and has contributed to the elaboration of approximately 15 different ESAC Opinions and Reports.