I studied in the University of Navarra and performed my doctoral studies in the University of Leon, working in molecular genetics in gram-positive bacteria. After obtaining the Ph.D. degree, I moved for a postdoctoral stay at the New York University Medical Center for training in the field of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. In this institution, my work was focused to the molecular biology of Ras oncogenes in carcinogen-induced tumors and the interaction between Ras and the cell cycle regulators in collaboration with A. Pellicer (1994-1998). I returned to Spain at the end of 1998 to join M. Barbacid’s lab in the then newly created CNIO. My research focused on the generation of mouse models to analyze the in vivo role of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and their inhibitors in cell cycle progression and tumor development. In 2003 I obtained a Staff Scientist position at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and in June 2004 I decided to stay at the CNIO to lead the Cell Division and Cancer Group.