Enrique Alvarez Lacalle

Associate professor
Campus Baix Llobregat (UPC), Edifici C3, Despatx 115 1a pl.
Esteve Terradas, 5
08860 Castelldefels

Telèfon: +34 934134152
E-Mail: enric.alvarez

upc.edu
Web del grup de recerca: http://biocomsc.upc.edu/en
Web personal: http://futur.upc.edu/EnriqueAlvarezLacalle

My research interests have encompassed very interdisciplinary research topics, such as physics of fluids, biophysics, medicine and mathematical linguistics. Presently, my focus is on biophysical mathematical models of cardiac tissue to gain understanding into cardiac medical disease and in epidemiology, both with mathematical modelling and medical outcomes of respiratory infectious diseases such as COVID19.

Short CV

2015 - present: Associate professor and member of the deparment board and the University Senate. Department of Applied Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
2010 - 2014: Lector-doctor (tenure track) position. Department of Applied Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
2007 - 2009: "Juan de la Cierva" post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Applied Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
2005 - 2007: Postdoctoral fellow at the Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot Israel.
1999 - 2004: PhD in the Advanced Physics program. Department Structure and Constituents of Matter, University of Barcelona.
1994 - 1998: Degree on Physics. University of Barcelona.

1- Biophysical modeling of cardiac cells: From ion channels to tissue
Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Bragard, J.; Echebarria, B.
Biophysica 5, 1, article 5 (2025)

2- A semi-empirical risk panel to monitor epidemics: multi-faceted tool to assist healthcare and public health professionals
Perramon, A.; Bravo, M.; Lopez de Rioja, V.; Català, M.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Lopez, D.; Soriano-Arandes, A.; Prats, C.
Frontiers in public health 11, 1307425 (2024)

3- A mixture of mobility and meteorological data provides a high correlation with COVID-19 growth in an infection-naive population: a study for Spanish provinces
Conesa, D.; Lopez de Rioja, V.; Gullón, T.; Tauste Campo, A.; Prats, C.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.
Frontiers in public health 12, 1288531 (2024)

4- Severity of Omicron subvariants and vaccine impact in Catalonia, Spain
Lopez de Rioja, V.; Basile, L.; Perramon, A.; Martinez-Solanas, È.; Lopez, D.; Medina-Maestro, S.; Coma, E.; Fina, F.; Prats, C.; Mendioroz, J.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
Vaccines 12, 466 (2024)

5- Country-report pattern corrections of new cases allow accurate 2-week predictions of COVID-19 evolution with the Gompertz model
Villanueva, M.; Conesa, D.; Català, M.; Perramon, A.; Lopez de Rioja, V.; Lopez, D.; Alonso, S.; Cardona, P.J.; Prats, C.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; López, M.; Molinuevo, D.; Montañola, C.
Scientific reports 14, 10775 (2024)

6- Mathematical modeling of SARS-CoV-2 variant substitutions in European countries: transmission dynamics and epidemiological insights
Lopez de Rioja, V.; Perramon, A.; Alonso, S.; Andrés, C.; Antón, A.; Bordoy, A.; Càmara, J.; Cardona, P.J.; Català, M.; Lopez, D.; Martí, S.; Martró, E.; Saludes, V.; Prats, C.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
Frontiers in public health 12, (2024)

7- SARS-CoV-2 transmission in teenagers and young adults in Fútbol Club Barcelona’s Multidisciplinary Sports Training Academy
Hernández, M.; Bassat, Q.; Fumadó, V.; Rodas, G.; Pi, R.; Miranda, M.; Girona, M.; Català, M.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Lopez, D.; Mele-Casas, M.; Pons, G.; Fernández de Sevilla, M.; Bonet-Carne, E.; Prats, C.
European journal of pediatrics 182, 2421-2432 (2023)

8- Predictive performance of multi-model ensemble forecasts of COVID-19 across European nations
Sherratt, K.; Gruson, H.; Johnson, H.; Grah, R.; Niehus, R.; Villanueva, I.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Lopez, D.; Prats, C.; Català, M.; Funk, S.
eLife 12, Article e81916 (2023)

9- Transmissibility, hospitalization, and intensive care admissions due to omicron compared to delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Catalonia: A cohort study and ecological analysis
Català, M.; Coma, E.; Alonso, S.; Andres, C.; Blanco, I.; Antón, A.; Escales, A.; Cardona, P.J.; Fina, F.; Martró, E.; Medina, M.; Moras, N.; Saludes Montoro, V.; Prats, C.; Prieto-Alhambra, D.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
Frontiers in public health 10, 1-13 (2022)

10- Low transmission of SARS-CoV-2 derived from children in family clusters: An observational study of family households in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Spain
Mele-Casas, M.; Launes, C.; Fernández de Sevilla, M.; Bassat, Q.; Fumadó, V.; Garcia-Miquel, A.; Bonet-Carné, E.; Prats, C.; Ajanovic, S.; Jou, C.; Balanza, N.; Baro, B.; Millat-Martínez, P.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Català, M.; Cuadras, D.; Muñoz-Almagro, C.; Gratacós, E.; Jordan, I.
PloS one 17, 11 (2022)

11- Matemáticas y COVID-19: monitorización, predicción, retos y perspectivas
Lopez, D.; Alonso, S.; Català, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Prats, C.
Indice. Revista de estadística y sociedad 86, 28-32 (2022)

12- Analysis of the epidemiological dynamic of monkeypox from 15th May to 31st August 2022
Perramon, A.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Català, M.; Lopez de Rioja, V.; Alonso, S.; Prats, C.; Lopez, D.
Enfermedades emergentes 21, 160-167 (2022)

13- Assessing wastewater-based epidemiology for the prediction of SARS-CoV-2 incidence in Catalonia
Joseph-Duran, B.; Serra-Compte, A.; Sàrrias, M.; Gonzalez, S.; Lopez, D.; Prats, C.; Català, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Alonso, S.; Arnaldos, M.
Scientific reports 12, 1 (2022)

14- Unravelling the role of the mandatory use of face covering masks for the control of SARS-CoV-2 in schools: a quasi-experimental study nested in a population-based cohort in Catalonia (Spain)
Coma, E.; Català, M.; Méndez-Boo, L.; Alonso, S.; Hermosilla, E.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Pino, D.; Medina, M.; Asso, L.; Gatell, A.; Bassat, Q.; Mas, A.; Soriano-Arandes, A.; Fina, F.; Prats, C.
Archives of disease in childhood 105, 1-13 (2022)

15- La IA, una eina fonamental per a la gestió de la pandèmia
Lopez, D.; Prats, C.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Català, M.
Telecos.cat. Enginyers de Telecomunicació , 30-30 (2022)

16- The ethical use of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence: fighting COVID-19 at Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Cortes, U.; Cortes, A.; García, D.; Raquel Perez-Arnal; Alvarez-Napagao, Sergio; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
AI and ethics 2, 325-340 (2022)

17- Luces y sombras en la modelización de la COVID-19
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Conesa, D.; Villanueva, M.; Alonso, S.; Lopez, D.; Prats, C.
Enfermedades emergentes 21, 140-142 (2022)

18- An ensemble of parameters from a robust Markov-based model reproduces L-type calcium currents from different human cardiac myocytes
Montes, G.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Alonso, S.; Weber, R.
PloS one 17, 0266233:1-0266233:26 (2022)

19- Multi-scale computational modeling of spatial calcium handling from nanodomain to whole-heart: overview and perspectives
Colman, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.; Sato, D.; Sutanto, H.; Heijman, J.
Frontiers in physiology 13, 836622:1-836622:30 (2022)

20- Individual prevention and containment measures in schools in Catalonia, Spain, and community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 after school re-opening
Alonso, S.; Català, M.; Lopez, D.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Jordan, I.; Fumadó, V.; Muñoz-Almagro, C.; Gratacós, E.; Balanza, N.; Baro, B.; Ajanovic, S.; Arias, S.; Fernández de Sevilla, M.; Bonet-Carné, E.; Garcia-Miquel, A.; Medina-Peralta, M.; Coma, E.; Fina, F.; Prats, C.; Bassat, Q.
PloS one 17, 2 (2022)

21- Robust estimation of diagnostic rate and real incidence of COVID-19 for European policymakers
Català, M.; Pino, D.; Marchena, M.; Palacios, P.; Urdiales, T.; Cardona, P.J.; Alonso, S.; Lopez, D.; Prats, C.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
PloS one 16, e0243701 (2021)

22- Age-dependency of the propagation rate of coronavirus disease 2019 inside school bubble groups in Catalonia, Spain
Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Català, M.; Lopez, D.; Jordan, I.; García-García, J.; Soriano-Arandes, A.; Lazcano, U.; Sallés, P.; Masats, M.; Urrutia, J.; Gatell, A.; Capdevila, R.; Soler-Palacín, P.; Bassat, Q.; Prats, C.
Pediatric infectious disease journal 40, 955-961 (2021)

23- Monitoring and analysis of COVID-19 pandemic: the need for an empirical approach
Català, M.; Marchena, M.; Conesa, D.; Palacios, P.; Urdiales, T.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Lopez, D.; Cardona, P.J.; Prats, C.
Frontiers in public health 9, 633123/1--9 (2021)

24- Risk diagrams based on primary care electronic medical records and linked real-time PCR data to monitor local covid-19 outbreaks during the summer 2020: a prospective study including 7,671,862 people in Catalonia
Català, M.; Coma, E.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Cordomí, S.; Lopez, D.; Fina, F.; Medina-Peralta, M.; Prats, C.; Prieto-Alhambra, D.
Frontiers in public health 9, 693956-1-8 (2021)

25- Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among children in summer schools applying stringent control measures in Barcelona, Spain
Jordan, I.; Fernández de Sevilla, M.; Fumadó, V.; Bassat, Q.; Bonet-Carné, E.; Fortuny, C.; Garcia-Miquel, A.; TOMAS, G.; Arias, S.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Cuadras, D.; Català, M.; Lopez, D.; Prats, C.; García-García, J.; Gratacós, E.
Clinical infectious diseases 74, 66-73 (2021)

26- Ca2+-CaM dependent inactivation of RyR2 underlies Ca2+ alternans in intact heart
Guo, W.; Benitez, R.; Hove-Madsen, L.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.
Circulation research 128, e63-e83 (2021)

27- Comparative analysis of geolocation information through mobile-devices under different COVID-19 mobility restriction patterns in Spain
Raquel Perez-Arnal; Conesa, D.; Alvarez-Napagao, Sergio; Suzumura, T.; Català, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Garcia-Gasulla, D.
International journal of geo-information 10, 73 (2021)

28- Empirical model for short-time prediction of COVID-19 spreading
Català, M.; Alonso, S.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Lopez, D.; Cardona, P.J.; Prats, C.
PLoS computational biology 16, e1008431-1-e1008431-18 (2020)

29- Buffering and total calcium levels determine the presence of oscillatory regimes in cardiac cells
Marchena, M.; Echebarria, B.; Shiferaw, Y.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
PLoS computational biology 16, 9 (2020)

30- ¿Qué datos deberían contar (y cuáles no) para seguir la evolución de la pandemia?
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Prats, C.; Català, M.
The conversation , (2020)

31- Two-variable nullcline analysis of ionic general equilibrium predicts calcium homeostasis in ventricular myocytes
Conesa, D.; Echebarria, B.; Peñaranda, A.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Shiferaw, Y.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
PLoS computational biology 16, 6 (2020)

32- Stochastic coupled map model of subcellular calcium cycling in cardiac cells
Romero, L.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Shiferaw, Y.
Chaos 29, (2019)

33- Minimal model for calcium alternans due to SR release refractoriness
Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Peñaranda, A.; Echebarria, B.
Chaos 27, 093928-1-093928-13 (2017)

34- Nonlinear signaling on biological networks: The role of stochasticity and spectral clustering
Hernadez-Hernandez, G.; Myers, J.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Shiferaw, Y.
Physical review E 95, 3 (2017)

35- "Nucleation of calcium waves in cardiac cells: the role of network connectivity"
Hernadez-Hernandez, G.; Shiferaw, Y.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.
Biophysical journal 110, 435 (2016)

36- Calcium alternans is a global order-disorder phase transition: robustness on ryanodine receptor release dynamics
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Peñaranda, A.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Shiferaw, Y.; Echebarria, B.
Computing in Cardiology 42, 329-332 (2016)

37- Cardiac contraction induces discordant alternans and localized block
Radszuweit, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Bär, M.; Echebarria, B.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 91, 2 (2015)

38- Role of connectivity and fluctuations in the nucleation of calcium waves in cardiac cells
Hernadez-Hernandez, G.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Shiferaw, Y.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 92, 052715 (2015)

39- Calcium Alternans is Due to an Order-Disorder Phase Transition in Cardiac Cells
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.; Spalding, J.; Shiferaw, Y.
Physical review letters 114, 10 (2015)

40- Noise focusing and the emergence of coherent activity in neuronal cultures
Orlandi, Javier G.; Soriano, J.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Teller, S.; Casademunt, J.
Nature physics 9, 582-590 (2013)

41- The timing statistics of spontaneous calcium release in cardiac myocytes
Asfaw, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Shiferaw, Y.
PloS one , PLoS ONE 8(5): e62967. (2013)

42- Dependency of calcium alternans on ryanodine receptor refractoriness
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Peñaranda, A.; Cinca, J.; Hove-Madsen, L.; Echebarria, B.
PloS one 8, 2 (2013)

43- Effect of RyR2 refractoriness and hypercalcemia on calcium overload, spontaneous release, and calcium alternans
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Peñaranda, A.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Hove-Madsen, L.; Echebarria, B.
Computing in Cardiology 40, 683-686 (2013)

44- Nonlinearities due to refractoriness in SR Ca release
Peñaranda, A.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Echebarria, B.
Computing in Cardiology 39, 297-300 (2013)

45- The emergence of spontaneous activity in neuronal cultures
Orlandi, Javier G.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Teller, S.; Soriano, J.; Casademunt, J.
AIP Conference proceedings 1510, 25-27 (2013)

46- Minimization of Viscous Fluid Fingering: A Variational Scheme for Optimal Flow Rates
Dias, E.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Carvalho , M.; Miranda, J.
Physical review letters 109, 144502-1-144502-5 (2012)

47- The role of connectivity and noise in the emergence of spontaneous activity in cultured neuronal networks
Orlandi, Javier G.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Teller, S.; Casademunt, J.; Soriano, J.
IECE proceeding series 1, 547-550 (2012)

48- Effect of Ryanodine Receptor Refractoriness on the Induction of Calcium Alternans
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, I.; Peñaranda, A.; Hove-Madsen, L.; Echebarria, B.
Biophysical journal 102(3), 308a-308a (2012)

49- Detection, properties, and frequency of local calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in teleost cardiomyocytes
Llach, A.; Molina, C.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Tort Bardolet, Lluis; Hove-Madsen, L.; Benitez, R.
PloS one 6, e23708 (2011)

50- "Effect of the resting membrane potential on the distribution, dimensions, and frequency of calcium sparks in human atrial myocytes"
Barriga, M.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Llach, A.; Vallmitjana, A.; Muñoz, C.; Cinca, J.; Benitez, R.; Hove-Madsen, L.
European heart journal 31, 895-895 (2010)

51- Characterization of the nonlinear content of the heart rate dynamics during myocardial ischemia
Benitez, R.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.; Gomis, P.; Vallverdu, M.; Caminal, P.
Medical engineering and physics 31, 660-667 (2009)

52- Pattern formation and interface pinch-off in rotating Hele-Shaw flows: A phase-field approach
Folch, R.; Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Ortin, J.; Casademunt, J.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 80, 5 (2009)

53- Pinch-off singularities in rotating Hele-Shaw flows at high viscosity contrast
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Casademunt, J.; Eggers, J.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 80, 5 (2009)

54- Global coupling in excitable media provides a simplified description of mechanoelectrical feedback in cardiac tissue
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Echebarria, B.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 79, 31921-31930 (2009)

55- "Slow and fast pulses in 1-D cultures of excitatory neurons"
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Moses, E.
Journal of computational neuroscience 26, 475-493 (2009)

56- "Coriolis effects on fingering patterns under rotation"
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Gadelha, H.; Miranda, J.
Physical review E: statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics 78, 26305-26305 (2008)

57- Oscillatory Regime in Excitatory Media with Global Coupling: Application to Cardiac Dynamics
Alvarez-Lacalle, E.; Rodriguez, J.; Echebarria, B.
Computers in cardiology 35, 189-192 (2008)