Dr.  Palarea Albaladejo, Javier

I am broadly interested in the development and application of data analysis and statistical modelling methods in interdisciplinary research with a focus on the biosciences. My main methodological specialisation is in multivariate methods, particularly compositional data analysis where I have worked on methods and software for censored and missing data, the compositional formulation of statistical models, and the introduction of the methodology in varied areas of the natural and life sciences.

My statistical experience ranges from experimental design to advanced data analysis and modelling across the biological, environmental and health sciences. I have been involved in varied projects including e.g. the development and optimisation of vaccines against different parasites, characterisation and control of infectious diseases, predictive modelling of livestock greenhouse gas emissions, high-throughput data processing and machine learning approaches for bacterial typing, disease diagnosis and detection of antimicrobial resistance, multivariate modelling of ecological responses to stressors in water catchments, and novel methods to investigate the interplay of time-use and lifestyle behaviours with health.

Before joining the University of Girona in July 2021, I was Principal Statistical Scientist at Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS; United Kingdom), formally part of The James Hutton Institute, providing statistical leadership in multi-partner interdisciplinary projects for the Scottish Government’s strategic research portfolio, services for externally funded projects and training to scientists. I also served as external lecturer of Multivariate Data Analysis at the School of Mathematics of the University of Edinburgh.

Other current external positions include: vice-president of the Association for Compositional Data (CoDa-Association), leadership team member and AI lead of MI:RNA Diagnostics Ltd., associate member of BioSS, core member of the Centre for Statistics of the University of Edinburgh, statistical editor for the journals Veterinary Record and Annals of Applied Biology and associate editor of Methods in Ecology and Evolution.