Designation: ICT

José Luis Fernández Rueda is a Computer Engineer with a Master’s degree in Intelligent Systems and two decades of experience specialising in the implementation of algorithms for the processing of large-scale datasets. He began his career working in Digital Image Processing and Geographic Information Systems, before transitioning into Biomedical Research, where he has taken on a hybrid role as both a data scientist and a developer, working on low-level applications and distributed systems for the processing of large-scale omics data.

As a member of the development team at LifeWatch ERIC, he contributes to the development of the organisation’s software infrastructure.

Main publications:

Méndez-Vidal, C., Bravo-Gil, N., Pérez-Florido, J., Marcos-Luque, I., Fernández, R. M., Fernández-Rueda, J. L., … & Antiñolo, G. (2025). A genomic strategy for precision medicine in rare diseases: integrating customized algorithms into clinical practice. Journal of Translational Medicine, 23(1), 86.

Peña-Chilet, M., Roldán, G., Perez-Florido, J., Ortuno, F. M., Carmona, R., Aquino, V., … & Dopazo, J. (2021). CSVS, a crowdsourcing database of the Spanish population genetic variability. Nucleic acids research, 49(D1), D1130-D1137.

López-Sánchez, L. M., Jurado-Gámez, B., Feu-Collado, N., Valverde, A., Cañas, A., Fernández-Rueda, J. L., … & Rodríguez-Ariza, A. (2017). Exhaled breath condensate biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer using proteomics. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 313(4), L664-L676.

Salvador is a Data Management Specialist at ICT-Core, with a solid background in environmental informatics. He holds an MSc in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and has extensive experience managing and curating research datasets in alignment with FAIR principles. His work has contributed to the FAIR publication of datasets across various disciplines, with a particular focus on geospatial and biodiversity data.

Salvador has developed and maintained research software, including R packages, to streamline data access, enhance reproducibility, and enable integration with semantic web technologies. He has been involved in the design of the European Ocean Digital Twin, helping bridge environmental data systems with real-time simulations to support data-driven decision-making. In addition, he is experienced in the use and promotion of Open Linked Data, contributing to interoperable knowledge systems that connect datasets across domains and institutions.

Since joining LifeWatch ERIC in 2025, he has applied his expertise to the design and execution of data management plans across diverse scientific projects, while also leading capacity-building workshops and supporting the wider adoption of open science practices

Main publications:

Musimwa, R., Standaert, W., Stevens, M., Fernández Bejarano, S. J., Muñiz, C., Debusschere, E., Pint, S., & Everaert, G. (2025). Climate-induced habitat suitability modelling for pelagic fish in European seas. Frontiers in Marine Science, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1501751

Webb, T., Beja, J., Fernández Bejarano, S. J., Ramos, E., Sainz-Villegas, S., Soetaert, K., Stolte, W., Troupin, C., & Weigel, B. (2025). Realising the potential of interoperable data products to improve the outlook for marine biodiversity: Lessons from the European marine observation and data network. Marine Policy, 173, 106578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106578

Assis, J., Fernández Bejarano, S.J., Salazar, V.W., Schepers, L., Gouvêa, L., Fragkopoulou, E., Leclercq, L., Vanhoorne, B.,Tyberghein, L., Serrão, E.A., Verbruggen, H., De Clerck, O. (2024) Bio-ORACLE v3.0. Pushing marine data layers to the CMIP6 Earth system models of climate change research. Global Ecology and Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13813

Full Stack Engineer at LifeWatch ERIC.

He holds a degree in Telecommunication Technologies Engineering and a master’s degree in Telematics and Telecommunication Networks. He specialises in full stack software development, working on both frontend and backend technologies. Since 2020, he has been working in the private sector, focusing on building and optimising software solutions. Currently, he is developing the LifeWatch Search Engine, available at search.lifewatch.eu.

e-Infrastructure Resource Integration Coordinator

Holds a degree in Computer Engineering with extensive experience in sensor networks, IoT architectures, and research infrastructure integration. Since 2018, he has led resource integration in LifeWatch ERIC’s e-Infrastructure, though his involvement dates back to 2012, with key roles at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI, Amsterdam) and the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), where he played a pivotal role in the process that led to LifeWatch becoming an ERIC.

He previously worked at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and at the Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory (University of Granada), focusing on IoT and sensor networks for scientific infrastructures. Earlier, he gained international experience in Austria, working on distributed component communication in a flight simulator research project at Technische Universität Graz & Joanneum Research.

With expertise in scientific computing, smart systems, and data-driven infrastructures, he bridges IT solutions with environmental and scientific research.

e-Infrastructure Operations Coordinator

ICT professional with over 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. He has managed large-scale distributed infrastructures with ITIL-based operations and served as CTO, advocating for open-source technologies and standards-based software development, fostering collaboration and technical excellence.

His work spans HPC, big data, and DevOps, leading the deployment of Virtual Research Environments and coordinating cloud security and operations for large-scale solutions. Additionally, as an associate lecturer, he has contributed to bridging academic knowledge and real-world innovation by sharing enterprise-scale project management insights.

Principal Software Engineer

Holds a PhD in Robotics Engineering at the University of Seville, where his research focused on the development of perception techniques for aerial robots in complex industrial environments. He has worked in several international projects, including Horizon Europe, ERC Grants, and projects for private companies or inter-continental cooperation. His research has been published in several international peer-reviewed journals and top-notch engineering conferences. In his current role as Principal Software Engineer at LifeWatch ERIC, he guides the development of software, and collaborates in architecture and infrastructure decisions, ensuring that the software systems and workflows are fully integrated, optimised, and aligned with the organisation’s long-term roadmap.

Main publications

J. L. Paneque, J.R. Martínez-de Dios, A. Ollero, D. Hanover, S. Sun, A. Romero and D. Scaramuzza, “Perception-Aware Perching on Powerlines With Multirotors,” in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 3077-3084, April 2022, doi: 10.1109/LRA.2022.3145514.

F. J. Perez-Grau, J. R. Martinez-de Dios, J. L. Paneque., J. Acevedo, A. Torres-González, A. Viguria, and A. Ollero, “Introducing autonomous aerial robots in industrial manufacturing,” in Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 60, 312-324. doi: 10.1016/j.jmsy.2021.06.008

J. L. Paneque, J. R. Martínez-de Dios and A. Ollero, “Multi-Sensor 6-DoF Localization For Aerial Robots In Complex GNSS-Denied Environments,” 2019 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Macau, China, 2019, pp. 1978-1984, doi: 10.1109/IROS40897.2019.8967686.

Data e-Science, Blockchain and European Projects Officer

PhD in Computer Science and Telecommunications Engineering. He holds the position of Data e-Science Management Plans and Blockchain Officer – DLBO – at LifeWatch ERIC. He holds a Master in Executive Coaching from AECOP/EOI and was working as a researcher in the PhD program at Stanford University, California, Computer Science Department. Since then he has been involved in the development and implementation of projects related to data management and telecommunications infrastructures at Spanish and European level, particularly with topics related to big data, AI, blockchain, semantic web, data management and curation.

Main publications:

▪ López Lérida, J, Mora Pérez, JJ. “La economía de blockchain: los modelos de negocio de la nueva web”(The economy of blockchain: business models for the new web) (B01D03T220) Ed. Amazon Media EU SRL, 2016
▪ López Lérida, J., Sánchez Allende, J. “Computer Networks (second edition)” (ISBN 8448140532), Mc Graw-Hill, March 2004
lende, J., López Lérida, J., Moreno, A. “Microsoft Windows 2000 Administration Fundamentals” (Adaptación al español), Mc Graw-Hill, September 2000