Gabaldón Lab – Comparative Genomics is a research group led by Toni Gabaldón, jointly affiliated with IRB Barcelona and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) in Barcelona, Spain. The group investigates how genome sequences relate to biological traits and how genomes and phenotypes evolve within and across species. It uses large-scale phylogenetics and molecular evolution to study genome change across genes, addressing questions about the origin, evolution and function of biological systems.

Its research spans levels from individual molecules to entire biological communities, including microbial lineages and the origins of eukaryotes. Computational analyses may draw on high-performance resources such as the MareNostrum supercomputer. The lab’s website shares research topics, resources and tools, scientific publications, news, media coverage and outreach material.

Featured studies examine microbial alliances in the origins of eukaryotic cells and the evolution of the unusually large genomes of Asgard archaea. By combining computational genomics with evolutionary biology, the group explores fundamental questions about the relationships between genes, organisms and life’s diversity