Marcos Suárez Menéndez

Profile

My research focuses on fundamental evolutionary parameters, particularly mutation and recombination rates, and on the methodological challenges of estimating them directly in wild, non-model organisms. I am drawn to species and systems where these parameters are poorly characterized.

My research in the Hoffman lab will explore how these core elements of evolution are shaped and interact at the population level, thanks to the long-term study of Antarctic fur seals in South Georgia.

Despite my career having largely focused on marine mammals (with some flukes), I’m currently also involved in a porcini mushroom project.

Previous Research and Other Interests

I started my academic career during my BSc thesis studying the presence of invasive species in French coastal lagoons using eDNA, which buried my childhood dream of being a field ecologist. I now spend 95% of my time behind a computer or a lab bench (willingly).

During my MSc and PhD I addressed a fundamental question: can germline mutation rates (μ) be estimated directly in free-ranging baleen whales, and what do those estimates reveal about their evolution and conservation? Addressing this question meant working with large datasets collected over decades, adapting existing methods, and developing new analytical tools, spanning a range of genetic data from Sanger sequencing and microsatellites to target capture and whole genome sequencing.

Curriculum Vitae
  • 2025-Present: Postdoctoral researcher, University of Bielfeld, Germany
  • 2025: Postdoctoral researcher, University of Groningen, The Netherlads
  • 2020-2025: PhD Student, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  • 2018-2020: MSc Marine biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  • 2014-2018: BSc General Biology, University of Oviedo, Spain
Publications

You can find Marcos’ full publication list on ORCID.

Contact Details

Department of Evolutionary Population Genetics
Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec)
Faculty of Biology
Bielefeld University
33615 Bielefeld
Germany

email: marcos.suarez.menendez[at]uni-bielefeld.de
researchgate: Marcos Suárez Menéndez
orcid: Marcos Suárez Menéndez