Jose Manuel Cuevas Torrijos

Jose Manuel Cuevas Torrijos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universitat de València, Spain. He is a leading member of the VIREVO (Virus Evolution Group) within the Institute for Biological Systems Integration (I2SYSBIO), and has previously contributed to the EVOSALUD research group. His academic career is deeply rooted in virology and evolutionary genetics.

He earned his PhD from the Universitat de València in 2003 with a thesis on the experimental evolution of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), supervised by Dr. Santiago F. Elena and Dr. Andrés Moya Simarro. His research focuses on the evolutionary dynamics of RNA and DNA viruses, including mutation rates, fitness effects, host adaptation, and cross-species transmission.

His research interests span viral evolution, experimental virology, viral metagenomics, and phylogenetics. He employs high-throughput sequencing, deep mutational scanning, and experimental evolution to study viruses such as HIV, hepatitis C virus, SARS-CoV-2, and various animal viruses. His work bridges molecular virology with population genetics to understand how viruses adapt and evolve.

The analysis of his recent publications (2022–2025) reveals a strong focus on viral discovery in wildlife (particularly bats and rodents), the human blood virome, and the evolutionary mechanisms of RNA viruses. There is a clear trend toward metagenomic approaches and methodological improvements in viral nucleic acid recovery, alongside continued interest in mutation rate estimation and evolutionary constraints. A smaller subset of his work also touches on geothermal engineering, indicating interdisciplinary collaboration.

While no formal scientific awards are listed, his extensive publication record and leadership in the VIREVO group underscore his scientific impact.

He has supervised PhD students and mentored early-career researchers as part of his role in the VIREVO group, though specific names are not provided. His research is supported by institutional and national grants, particularly through his affiliation with I2SYSBIO and participation in collaborative projects.

The VIREVO group, which he leads, focuses on experimental evolution of viruses, viral population genetics, and the origins of viral diversity. The team integrates computational biology, molecular virology, and evolutionary theory to study how viruses emerge, adapt, and spread.