Acuigen, genetics for aquaculture and conservation biological resources

Interests

My research focus on understanding patterns of genetic variation in natural and captive populations of several species that may have implications in applied biology. Currently, I am involved in several projects that aim to detect molecular evidence of local adaptation and domestication of turbot. I am also interested in other topics such as conservation genetics of fishes and molecular ecology of parasites. I have a growing interest for topics related with the history and philosophy of biology.

Selected publications

Vilas R., Vandamme S. G., Vera M, Bouza C., Maes G.E., Volckaert F.A.M., Martínez P. 2015. A genome scan for candidate genes involved in the adaptation of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Marine Genomics 23: 77-86.

Vandamme S.G., Maes G.E., Raeymaekers J.A.M., Cottenie K., Imsland A.K., Hellemans B., Lacroix G., Mac Aoidh E., Martinsohn J.T., Martínez P.,  Robbens J., Vilas R., Volckaert F.A.M. 2014. Regional environmental pressure influences population differentiation in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Molecular Ecology 23: 618-636.

Vázquez-Prieto S., González-Díaz H., Paniagua E., Vilas R., Ubeira F.M. 2014. A QSPR-like model for multilocus genotype networks of Fasciola hepatica in Northwest Spain. Journal of Theoretical Biology 343: 16-24.

Vera M., Álvarez-Dios J.A., Fernández C., Bouza C., Vilas R., Martínez P. 2013. Development and validation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers from two transcriptome 454-runs of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) using high throughput genotyping. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 14: 5694-5711.

Vilas R., Vázquez-Prieto S., Paniagua E. 2012. Contrasting patterns of population genetic structure of Fasciola hepatica from cattle and sheep: implications for the evolution of anthelmintic resistance. Infection Genetics and Evolution 12: 45-52.

Vilas R., Cao A., Pardo B.G., Fernández S., Villalba A., Martínez P. 2011. Very low microsatellite polymorphism and large heterozygote deficits suggest founder effects and cryptic structure in the parasite Perkinsus olseni. Infection Genetics and Evolution 11: 904-911.

Criscione C.D., Vilas R., Paniagua E., Blouin M.S. 2011. More than meets the eye: detecting cryptic microgeographic population structure in a parasite with complex life cycle. Molecular Ecology 20: 2510-2524.

Vilas R., Bouza C., Castro J., López A., Martínez P. 2010. Management units of brown trout from Galicia (NW: Spain) based on spatial genetic structure analysis. Conservation Genetics 11: 897-906.

Vilas R., Bouza C., Vera M., Millán A., Martínez P. 2010. Variation in anonymous and EST-microsatellites suggests adaptive population divergence in turbot. Marine Ecology Progress Series 420: 231-239.