RESEARCH SUMMARY
My research focuses on understanding the genetic regulatory framework and evolutionary implications of an ancient developmental segmentation program in early-branching animals. For comparative purposes, I am focusing on two emergent cnidarian model organisms: the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis and the reef building coral Montipora capitata. Using these complimentary systems, I will be studying the function, regulation, and interactions of endomesodermal segmentation and segment-polarity genes during development

EDUCATION
PhD Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2021)
MS Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2011)
BS Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2007)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
The Dynamics of Epidermal Stratification During Post-larval Development in Zebrafish
Rangel-Huerta E, Guzman A, and Maldonado E. (2021).  Dev Dyn. 250(2):175-190. DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.249.
PubMed

Subterranean life: The Behavior and Metabolic Adaptations of Astyanax Cavefish.
‍Maldonado, E., Rangel-Huerta, E., Rodriguez-Salazar, E., Pereida-Jaramillo, E. and Martínez-Torres, A. (2020)  J. Exp. Zool. B Mol. Dev. Evol. DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22948  
PubMed

Octopus insularis a new marine model for evolutionary developmental biology.
‍Maldonado, E., Rangel-Huerta, E., Gonzalez-Gomez, R., Fajardo-Alvarado, G. and Morrillo-Velarde, P.S. (2019) Biol Open. 8:(11). Bio046086. DOI: 10.1242/bio.046086.  
PubMed

Linking host morphology and symbiont performance in octocorals.
‍Rossi, S., Schubert, N., Brown, D., de Oliveira Soares, M, Grosso-Becerra, V., Rangel-Huerta, E. and Maldonado, E. (2018) Sci. Rep. 8:12823. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-31262-3.  
PubMed

Transit Amplifying Cells in the Fast Lane from Stem Cells Towards Differentiation.
Rangel-Huerta, E. and Maldonado, E. (2017) Stem Cells International. 2017, Article ID 7602951, 1–10. DOI: 10.1155/2017/7602951.
PubMed 

Evolution of the Marine Animal Forest: EvoDevo of Corals, Sea anemones and Jellyfishes.
Rangel-Huerta, E., Avila-Soria, G. and Maldonado, E. Marine Animal Forests. Springer (2017). Editors: Sergio Rossi, Lorenzo Bramanti, Andrea Gori and Covadonga Orejas. Pages 1 – 16. /  ISBN: 978-3-319-17001-5
SpringerLink 

Spatial Mapping in Perpetual Darkness: EvoDevo of Behavior in Astyanax mexicanus Cavefish.
Santacruz, A., García, O.M., Tinoco-Cuellar, M., Rangel-Huerta, E. and Maldonado, E.  Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish. Elsevier (2016).  Editors: Alex Keene, Masato Yoshizawa and Suzanne McGaugh. Pages 361-376. /  ISBN: 978-0128021484
ScienceDirect