María José (Majo) is an Ecuadorian biologist and a PhD candidate at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in the Tarvin lab. Her research focuses on unraveling the origin and evolution of chemical defenses, with a particular emphasis on guanidinium alkaloids such as the enigmatic Tetrodotoxin, found in the highly endangered frogs of the Atelopus genus. Her work aims to elucidate the mechanisms of toxin acquisition and to integrate her findings into conservation efforts through collaboration with institutions and researchers in Ecuador and Colombia.