About

Jose Miguel Alonso Bellver is a professor affiliated with the Genetics and Genomics Academy at NC State University. His research focus is within the field of genetics and genomics, contributing to interdisciplinary research initiatives. As a faculty member, he is involved in advancing understanding in genetics and genomics, supporting graduate and undergraduate programs, and participating in research interest groups related to evolutionary genetics, plant and animal breeding, microbiomes, neurogenetics, developmental biology, structural genomics, and chromatin. His role includes engaging in educational activities, mentoring students, and contributing to the academic community through seminars, retreats, and research collaborations.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Chemistry
• Immunology
• Biochemistry
• Materials science
• Cell biology
• Computational biology
• Combinatorial chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Selected publications

• Pickering Emulsion for Enhanced Viability of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria and Combined Delivery of Agrochemicals and Biologics

  Advanced Functional Materials · 2025-02-05 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Non‐sporulating plant growth‐promoting bacteria (PGPB) are widely underutilized in the bio‐based agroindustry due to difficulties in maintaining viability without spores. A unique approach is presented to prepare PGPB‐based green formulations by integrating Gram‐negative, nonsporulating PGPBs: Pseudomonas simiae (Psi) and Azospirillum brasilense ( Abr ) into cellulose acetate stabilized Pickering emulsions. The bacteria show enhanced survivability within the emulsions without any nutrient supply after 4 weeks of storage with Psi and Abr showing 200% and 500% increases respectively relative to non‐nutritive saline (1X PBS) control. Transcriptomics suggest that lysed bacteria from the emulsification process act as crucial nutrient sources, thereby boosting bacterial survival rates. Moreover, these PGPBs maintain survival even in the presence of the model pesticide fluopyram, with Pseudomonas simiae concentration showing a twofold increase after 1 month of storage while still preserving the efficacy of fluopyram against target pests. This robust survival trait among nonsporulating PGPB marks a notable advancement in developing formulations tailored specifically for these organisms. It underscores their untapped potential for practical applications in agricultural and environmental contexts. Furthermore, the emulsions enable simultaneous loading of biologicals (PGPBs) and agrochemical pesticides without compromising performance, thus offering the promise of a single loading platform to deliver multiple actives.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Microfluidic and Computational Tools for Neurodegeneration Studies

  Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering · 2025-01-15 · 6 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  Understanding the molecular, cellular, and physiological components of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is paramount for developing accurate diagnostics and efficacious therapies. However, the complexity of ND pathology and the limitations associated with conventional analytical methods undermine research. Fortunately, microfluidic technology can facilitate discoveries through improved biomarker quantification, brain organoid culture, and small animal model manipulation. Because this technology can increase experimental throughput and the number of metrics that can be studied in concert, it demands more sophisticated computational tools to process and analyze results. Advanced analytical algorithms and machine learning platforms can address this challenge in data generated from microfluidic systems, but they can also be used outside of devices to discern patterns in genomic, proteomic, anatomical, and cognitive data sets. We discuss these approaches and their potential to expedite research discoveries and improve clinical outcomes through ND characterization, diagnosis, and treatment platforms.

  PublisherDOI

• Amyloid β induces hormetic-like effects through major stress pathways in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s Disease

  PLoS ONE · 2025-04-24 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Amyloid β (Aβ) is a peptide known for its characteristic aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease and its ability to induce a wide range of detrimental effects in various model systems. However, Aβ has also been shown to induce some beneficial effects, such as antimicrobial properties against pathogens. In this work, we explore the influence of Aβ in stress resistance in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer's Disease. We found that C. elegans that express human Aβ exhibit increased resistance to heat and anoxia, but not to oxidative stress. This beneficial effect of Aβ was driven from Aβ in neurons, where the level of induction of Aβ expression correlated with stress resistance levels. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that this selective stress resistance was mediated by the Heat Shock Protein (HSPs) family of genes. Furthermore, neuropeptide signaling was necessary for Aβ to induce stress resistance, suggesting neuroendocrine signaling plays a major role in activating organismal stress response pathways. These results highlight the potential beneficial role of Aβ in cellular function, as well as its complex effects on cellular and organismal physiology that must be considered when using C. elegans as a model for Alzheimer's Disease.

  PublisherDOI

• Derivation of human trophoblast stem cells from placentas at birth

  Journal of Biological Chemistry · 2025-04-10 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) have emerged as a powerful tool for modeling the placental cytotrophoblast (CTB) in vitro. hTSCs were originally derived from CTBs of the first-trimester placenta or blastocyst-stage embryos in trophoblast stem cell medium (TSCM) that contains epidermal growth factor, the glycogen synthase kinase-beta inhibitor CHIR99021, the transforming growth factor-beta inhibitors A83-01 and SB431542, valproic acid, and the Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor Y-27632. Here, we show that hTSCs can be derived from CTBs isolated from the term placenta, using TSCM supplemented with a low concentration of mitochondrial pyruvate uptake inhibitor UK5099 and lipid-rich albumin (TUA medium). Notably, hTSCs could not be derived from term CTBs using TSCM alone, or in the absence of either UK5099 or lipid-rich albumin. Strikingly, hTSCs cultured in TUA medium for a few passages could be transitioned into TSCM and cultured thereafter in TSCM. hTSCs from term CTBs cultured in TUA medium as well as those transitioned into and cultured in TSCM thereafter could be differentiated to the extravillous trophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast lineages and exhibited high transcriptome similarity with hTSCs derived from first-trimester CTBs. We anticipate that these results will enable facile derivation of hTSCs from normal and pathological placentas at birth with diverse genetic backgrounds and facilitate in vitro mechanistic studies in trophoblast biology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Heat shock proteins function as signaling molecules to mediate neuron–glia communication in C. elegans during aging

  Nature Neuroscience · 2025-06-18 · 12 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Assessing PDMS Biocompatibility in Microfluidic Applications: Toxicity and Survival Outcomes in <i>C. elegans</i>

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-12-15

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  as a whole-animal model. We demonstrate that uncrosslinked vinyl-terminated PDMS (v-PDMS) chains, which comprise the majority of a PDMS network and are known to diffuse into aqueous environments, exhibit acute, environmentally-dependent toxicity. Low-molecular-weight v-PDMS (6 kDa) caused mild lethality in nutrient-rich S-Medium but significantly higher mortality in minimal S-Buffer, showing that media composition strongly influences toxic effects. Adding cholesterol, calcium, or magnesium notably reduced v-PDMS-induced lethality, whereas trace metals increased it. Using a DAF-16::GFP reporter strain, we show that cholesterol influences organismal stress responses to v-PDMS exposures. Progeny from starved parents showed full resistance to v-PDMS, suggesting transgenerational stress memory plays a role in reducing PDMS toxicity. We also find that linear siloxanes cause modest but significant lethality, whereas cyclic siloxanes do not. The PDMS crosslinker TDSS, however, provides partial protection when present with v-PDMS, revealing diverse biological effects among PDMS network precursors. Overall, these results show that PDMS-derived components are not universally harmless and that susceptibility depends greatly on environmental conditions, sterol levels, and physiological history. Our findings emphasize the importance of carefully evaluating PDMS formulations for biomedical use and offer a framework for assessing polymer leachate toxicity in living organisms.

  PublisherDOI

• Pickering Emulsion for Enhanced Viability of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria and Combined Delivery of Agrochemicals and Biologics (Adv. Funct. Mater. 24/2025)

  Advanced Functional Materials · 2025-06-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Non-Sporulating Microbes Non-sporulating plant beneficial bacteria remain an untapped resource to enhance plant health and food security. To leverage the full potential, in article number 2418272, Tahira Pirzada, Nathan Crook, Saad A. Khan, and co-workers propose the use of sustainable emulsions as their benign carriers. These particle/bacteria stabilized emulsions concurrently load multiple cargos without compromising bacterial yields and provide sustained release, thus opening new horizons for co-delivery of diverse agricultural actives.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Biomarkers for aging in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> high throughput screening

  Biochemical Society Transactions · 2024-06-17 · 5 citations

  reviewSenior authorCorresponding

  Aging is characterized by a functional decline in organism fitness over time due to a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors [ 1-4]. With an increasing elderly population at risk of age-associated diseases, there is a pressing need for research dedicated to promoting health and longevity through anti-aging interventions. The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is an established model organism for aging studies due to its short life cycle, ease of culture, and conserved aging pathways. These benefits also make the worm well-suited for high-throughput screening (HTS) methods to study biomarkers of the molecular changes, cellular dysfunction, and physiological decline associated with aging. Within this review, we offer a summary of recent advances in HTS techniques to study biomarkers of aging in C. elegans.

  PublisherDOI

• Amyloid β Induces Hormetic-Like Effects Through Major Stress Pathways in a <i>C. elegans</i> Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-05-10

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Amyloid β (Aβ) is a peptide known for its characteristic aggregates in Alzheimer’s Disease and its ability to induce a wide range of detrimental effects in various model systems. However, Aβ has also been shown to induce some beneficial effects, such as antimicrobial properties against pathogens. In this work, we explore the influence of Aβ in stress resistance in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s Disease. We found that C. elegans that express human Aβ exhibit increased resistance to heat and hypoxia, but not to oxidative stress. This beneficial effect of Aβ was driven from Aβ in neurons but not muscles, and the abundance of Aβ in neurons correlated with stress resistance levels. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that this selective stress resistance was mediated by the Heat Shock Protein (HSPs) family of genes. Furthermore, neuropeptide signaling was necessary for Aβ to induce stress resistance, suggesting neuroendocrine signaling plays a major role in activating organismal stress response pathways. These results highlight the potential beneficial role of Aβ in cellular function, as well as its complex effects on cellular and organismal physiology that must be considered when using C. elegans as a model for Alzheimer’s Disease.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A quantitative image analysis platform for assessing trophoblast differentiation

  Placenta · 2024-07-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Immunofluorescence microscopy is extensively used in characterization of trophoblast differentiation in vitro. However, such data is primarily used to confirm the presence of protein markers or qualitatively compare levels of protein markers across experimental conditions. Imaging data, when processed and analyzed appropriately can provide quantitative and spatial information, and provide biological insight. Towards this end, here we present MATroph, an open-source MATLAB-based computational tool to process images generated by immunofluorescent microscopy. MATroph automatically executes a series of image processing operations, including the classification of red, blue, and green channels from images, background extraction, morphological operations, and image filtering. From the isolated blue channels corresponding to nuclear staining, this tool generates numerical values for cell number. Additionally, relative levels and spatial location of proteins are obtained by mapping red and green channel pixels to blue pixels by assigning minimum pixel distance between the blue and other color objects. Thus, this tool provides information about intracellular protein accumulation areas. Additionally, this tool can also classify cells as single cells or part of colonies, and extract information on protein levels for each; this is particularly useful for quantitative studies on extravillous trophoblast maturation. We provide a user-guide to analyze the relative levels of markers relevant to human trophoblast stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Importantly, MATroph is composed of a simple MATLAB algorithm, and its implementation requires minimal expertise in programming.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• A platform for in vivo lifelong tracking of aging genes and lifespan prediction under precise environments in C. elegans.

  NIH · $401k · 2019–2022

• Elucidating Synaptic Regulators via High-Throughput Morphology Characterization

  NIH · $984k · 2016–2021

• NIH Grant K99AG046911

  NIH · $180k · 2015

• RoL: FELS: EAGER Rules of lifespan determination and buffering from lifelong spatiotemporal activity of key aging pathways.

  NSF · $300k · 2018–2021

Frequent coauthors

• Frederick P. Roth

  University of Pittsburgh

  27 shared

• Yves Jacob

  23 shared

• I. Kovács

  19 shared

• Quan Zhong

  Beijing Jiaotong University

  17 shared

• Dawit Balcha

  Boston VA Research Institute

  15 shared

• Nishka Kishore

  University of Toronto

  15 shared

• Amélie Dricot

  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

  15 shared

• Atina G. Coté

  15 shared

Labs

• Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyPI

Education

• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  2011

• BS. Chemical Engineering

  Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

  2005