Alejandro M. Andirkó
Researcher | Bioinformatician | Software Developer
I am currently open to new opportunities.
sanyi [DOT] personal [AT] google's mail service [DOT COM]
| Personal webpage/blog
| Scientific articles
| Twitter
| Github
About me
Human Evolution PhD (U. Barcelona) and Big Data Developer (Python, SQL, AWS). I specialized in Homo sapiens-specific genetic variation.
Skills:
- Managed several sucessful scientific projects.
- Mantained and upgraded data ETL pipelines in AWS cloud environments.
- Strong technical background: Python, R, Bash, Spark/Pyspark, Git, statistical inference.
- Experienced public speaker, communication & presentation skills.
- Speaker of Spanish & Hungarian (native), English (C1), French (B2), and Catalan (basic).
Experience
2022 - 2023
Big Data Developer @ Devcenter (Teralco Group), Spain
- Pyspark, Python, SQL, AWS.
- Software development of ETL pipelines in Python, Spark/Pyspark, AWS, Bash, & PostgreSQL in the context of an energy billing software.
- Independently solved data flow bugs and provided upgrades, translating the client’s needs and priorities to deliverable solutions.
- Acquired best practices of modern software engineering: unit testing, modularization and CI/CD practices.i
- Left after a bit more than a year to adjust my career to my current interests.
2018 - 2021
PhD Researcher @ University of Barcelona, Spain
- Cognitive Biology of Language research group
- Developed experiments in R, Python and Bash, using Bioinformatic tools, Statistics, Genomics Data Analysis pipelines, workflow management tools (Drake/Targets, Snakemake), data visualization and code versioning (Git).
- Designed, managed and/or executed 7 technical research projects with +120 citations on the topics of Brain Genomics & Evolution.
- Gave several guest lectures at Master’s degree, & presented +20 scientific talks and posters in international conferences at 6 countries.
- Peer-reviewer at several technical Bioinformatics, Evolution & Life Sciences journals.
- Science dissemination: +45,000 aggregated readers across 3 articles for the general public.
Education
2022
Saturdays AI
- Machine Learning course
2016 - 2017
University of Barcelona, Spain
- MA. Cognitive Science and Language
- Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy of the Mind.
2012-2016
University of Murcia, Spain
- BA. Spanish Language & Literature
Scientific publications
2023
- Addressing sex bias in biological databases worldwide.
- V Ruiz-Serra, N Buslón, OR Philippe, D Saby, M Morales, C Pontes, A Andirkó, GL Holliday, A Jené, M Moldes, J Rambla, A Valencia, MJ Rementeria, Á Cortés, D Cirillo
- BioHackrXiv
2023
- Modelling of factors underlying the evolution of human language.
- M Ruland, A Andirkó, I Romanowska, C Boeckx
- Adaptative Behavior
2022
- Temporal mapping of derived high-frequency gene variants supports the mosaic nature of the evolution of Homo sapiens.
- A Andirkó, J Moriano (contributed equally), A Vitriolo, M Kuhlwilm, G Testa, C Boeckx
- Scientific Reports
2022
- Brain region-specific effects of nearly fixed sapiens-derived alleles
- A Andirkó, C Boeckx
- BMC Genomic Data
2022
- A Brain Region-Specific Expression Profile for Genes Within Large Introgression Deserts and Under Positive Selection in Homo sapiens
- R Buisan, J Moriano, A Andirkó, C Boeckx
- Frontiers in cell and developmental biology
2022
- Oxytocin and vasotocin receptor variation and the evolution of human prosociality
- C Theofanopoulou, A. Andirkó (contributed equally), C Boeckx, ED Jarvis
- Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
2021
- Human-derived alleles in SOST and RUNX2 3′ UTRs cause differential regulation in a bone cell-line model
- J Moriano, N Martínez-Gil, A Andirkó, S Balcells, D Grinberg, C Boeckx
- BioRxiv
2019
- Dosage analysis of the 7q11.23 Williams region identifies BAZ1B as a major human gene patterning the modern human face and underlying self-domestication
- M Zanella, A Vitriolo, A Andirkó, PT Martins, S Sturm, T O’Rourke, M Laugsch, N Malerba, A Skaros, S Trattaro, P-L Germain, M Mihailovic, G Merla, A Rada-Iglesias, C Boeckx, G Testa.
- Science Advances
Awards & funding
2018-2021
- Predoctoral grant/contract
- Spanish Ministry of Science, Universities and Innovation
2019
Best Science Communication Video
- UBICS
- W/ Thomas O’Rourke, Stefanie Sturm and Pedro Tiago Martins.
Talks
2021
- Fine-grained temporal mapping of derived high-frequency variants.
- A Andirkó, J Moriano, A Vitriolo, M Kuhlwilm, G Testa, C Boeckx
- Informal talk at EGHOP journal club, University of Utah
2019
- Agent-based modelling and ordered steps towards modern linguistic complexity.
- M Ruland, A Andirkó, C Boeckx
- Protolang 6
2019
- 7q11.23 Syndromes Reveal BAZ1B as a Master Regulator of the Modern Human Face and Validate the Self-Domestication Hypothesis
- A Vitriolo, M Zanella, PT Martins, S Sturm, T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, M Laugsch, N Malerba, A Skaros, S Trattaro, P-L Germain, G Merla, A Rada-Iglesias, C Boeckx, G Testa
- Flash talk, EMBL Reconstructing the Human Past - Using Ancient and Modern Genomics.
2019
- A hypothesis concerning how the evolution of prosociality impacted vocal learning
- PT Martins, T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, S Sturm, C Boeckx
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution Inaugural Workshop.
2018
- Rethinking neoteny and neuroplasticity in language evolution
- B Samuels, PT Martins, T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, S Alamri, C Theofanopoulou, C Boeckx
- SLE Workshop: New Directions in Language Evolution.
2018
- The biocognitive ’guns, germs, and steel’ underlying Homo sapiens’ unique material culture
- A Andirkó, S Alamri, S Sturm, T O’Rourke, PT Martins, C Boeckx
- Evolang12 workshop: The stuff of language
Selected posters
Interested in the complete list? Ask me.
2019
- Sapiens derived cis-eQTL regulation in brain develpment and evolution
- A Andirkó, C Boeckx
- Ettore Majorana center (Erice), Brain and Behavior Evolution in Primates workshop.
2019
- Complex interactions among language subcomponents
- T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, S Sturm, PT Martins, J Moriano, S Silvente i Font, M Rumbo i Roig, C Boeckx
- UBICS anual meeting.
2019
- Identifying signals of neoteny in modern human evolution through paleogenomics
- A Andirkó, C Boeckx
- EMBL Reconstructing the Human Past - Using Ancient and Modern Genomics.
2019
- 7q11.23 Syndromes Reveal BAZ1B as a Master Regulator of the Modern Human Face and Validate the Self-Domestication Hypothesis
- A Vitriolo, M Zanella, PT Martins, S Sturm, T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, M Laugsch, N Malerba, A Skaros, S Trattaro, P-L Germain, G Merla, A Rada-Iglesias, C Boeckx, G Testa
- EMBL Reconstructing the Human Past - Using Ancient and Modern Genomics
2019
- Glutamatergic modulation of vocal learning circuits through the dopaminergic projections of the Periaqueductal Gray
- PT Martins, T O’Rourke, A Andirkó, S Sturm, C Boeckx
- Language and Music in Cognition Spring School.
Service & volunteering
2021
- Participant in BioHackaton Europe 2021.
2019-2020
- UBICS PhD student Representative on the Board of Directors
2019-2022
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Article co-reviewer.
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics. Article co-reviewer.
- Evolutionary Anthropology. Article co-reviewer.
- Journal of Language Evolution. Article reviewer.
- Biolinguistics. Article reviewer.
Last updated: 13/10/2023