Esteban Ballestar directs the Chromatin and Disease Group of the Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Programme (PEBC) of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) in Barcelona. Esteban Ballestar took his doctorate in the University of Valencia under the supervision of Luis Franco, where he specialised in histone modifications (1997). He went on to undertake postdoctoral studies in the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD, USA) in the laboratory of Alan Wolffe, where he researched the association between elements in the machinery of chromatin and methylated DNA.

From 2001 to 2008, Esteban Ballestar worked in the CNIO's Cancer Epigenetics Group, together with Manel Esteller, where his main area of research was the study of epigenetic mechanisms and alterations in human cancer. He is currently researching to identify the different mechanisms involved in epigenetic deregulation in the context of the haematopoietic system in autoimmune diseases and haematological neoplasias, as well as relevant differentiation models in the immune system. The recent results of his research group include the identification of an altered DNA methylation profile associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. The author of more than 75 papers, he is also a member of many scientific associations and is a reviewer for national and international research journals.

Scientific production

• Article published in Journals: 7
• Communications in national congresses: 3
• Communications in international congresses: 6