Biosketch

Graduate in Pharmacy from the University Complutense of Madrid in 1980, and the PhD in Pharmacy by the same University in 1989 (PhD supervisor, Dr. Fernando Baquero, Hospital Ramón y Cajal of Madrid, Spain). She got the Specialty in Clinical Microbiology, as Pharmaceutical Internal Resident (FIR), in the Hospital Ramón and Cajal of Madrid, Spain (1982-1985).

She worked as Associate Researcher in the University of Chicago for one year (1985-1986), and as a Facultative specialist in Clinical Microbiology in the Hospital Severo Ochoa of Leganés/Pedroches Center, during 1987. Since 1988, she has been associated to the University of Zaragoza (until 1992), and to the University of La Rioja (UR) (1992-nowadays). She has been coordinating the Molecular Microbiology Area of the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), through an agreement UR-CIBIR (2008-2016).

Nowadays she is Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the UR (since 2003), Numerary Member of the Academy of Pharmacy Reino de Aragón (since 2012), coordinator of the Research Group of “Molecular Ecology of Antimicrobial Resistance and Food Security” of the UR, and is collaborator of the Molecular Microbiology Area of CIBIR (agreement UR-CIBIR).

She is coauthor of more than 300 research publications in indexed journals (see Network links, Index h scopus: 43), she has been supervisor of more than 20 doctoral thesis, many of them with the international/European mention, and one third of them have obtained the extraordinary mention of doctorate of UR and/or the distinction Juan Abelló Pascual of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain. She has participated in more than 25 national/international projects, in most of them as main researcher, and is coauthor of a patent. Prof Torres collaborates with many national and international research groups and has participated in scientific and organization committees of national and international congresses and symposium. She has participated, as responsible researcher, in many collaborative Interuniversitary Actions of the Agencia Española de Cooperación al Desarrollo (AECID), especially with the University of Tunis. She has obtained diverse awards by her research activity and that of her group.

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Biology (2000) and Biochemistry (2001) from the University of Navarra and the PhD from the University of La Rioja in 2007. She was awarded with a pre-doctoral fellowship from the Ministry of Science and Technology (AGL2002-02293) to carry out her thesis entitled “Study of the antimicrobial activity production by oenological Lactobacillus plantarum strains”, at the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory, under supervision of Prof Carmen Torres Manrique and Prof Fernanda Ruiz Larrea.

She performed a fourth-month pre-doctoral stay (2005) at the Laboratory of Food Microbiology in the University of Wageningen and the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences (WCFS) (Netherlands), supervised by Dr Tjakko Abee.

In July 2007, she worked as researcher in the Bioprocess Group of the R&D department at the National Centre for Technology and Food Safety (CNTA-Ebro Laboratory, Navarra).

Since March 2008, Dr Rojo-Bezares belongs to the research group of Molecular Microbiology Area at the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR). Her work is focused on the study of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria of different origins and the search of new therapeutic alternatives.

As other professional scientific activities she has participated in 6 national and 2 international research projects, and she is member of several scientific societies. She has published 43 scientific articles in international journals (see Publications links), more than 100 scientific communications in national and international congresses, and 4 book chapters. As a teaching activity she teaches in a Master's Degree in Chemistry and Biotechnology at the University of La Rioja, and currently co-coordinates a thesis on antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus bovis group.

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Biology from the University of Salamanca (Spain)(2007) and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of La Rioja (UR, Spain)(2013). She worked at the “Institute of Food Research (IFR)” in Norwich (UK) (under supervision of Dr Mark Reuter) thank to a Leonardo Da Vinci fellowship (2008). After 8 months at the IFR, she joined the “Molecular Ecology of Antimicrobial Resistance and Food Security” group, headed by Prof Carmen Torres at the UR (Spain), where she got her PhD with international mention (2013). She performed a 4-month stay at the “Institut für Nutztiergenetik (FLI)” (Mariensee, Germany) (Prof Stefan Schwarz). After her PhD, she moved to the “Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology (IVB)” (Bern, Switzerland), where she performed a first 3-months short-term postdoctoral stay (Prof Vincent Perreten). In January 2014, she moved to the “Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)” (Wädenswil, Switzerland) as postdoctoral researcher to work on the Swiss National Science Foundation Project NFP68 (“Soil as a Resource”), where she worked for 2 and a half years (Dr Brion Duffy). During that period, she did a 4-months research stay at the “Western Sydney University (WSU)” (Sydney, Australia) (A/Prof Slade O. Jensen).

Since December 2016, Dr. Gómez-Sanz is a postdoctoral fellow at the prestigious “Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)” (Zurich, Switzerland) thank to a 3-year term Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship-Global Fellowship (MSCA-IF-GF, European Program H2020), whose beneficiary institution is Rioja Health Foundation. In April 2017 she moved to the “Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH)” (San Juan de Alicante, Spain) for a 4-month period as part of her MSCA-IF-GF research program.

Elena Gómez-Sanz has participated in six national and international projects, and she is currently Principal Investigator (PI) for the Swiss National Science Foundation NFP72 (“Antimicrobial Resistance”) (2017-2020). She has been awarded a number of grants and fellowships in competitive, merit-based calls from national and international public organizations (Leonardo Da Vinci fellowship from the University of Valencia, pre-doctoral fellowship from the Comunidad Autónoma of La Rioja, short-term postdoctoral fellowship from the Spanish Society for Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), “Endeavour Postdoctoral Research Fellowship” from the Department of Education of the Australian Government, short-term postdoctoral fellowship from the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), MSCA-IF-GF postdoctoral fellowship from the “European Research Council”) and her thesis was awarded by the “Extraordinary PhD Award” from the UR (2015). Dr Gómez-Sanz has participated in more than 40 scientific indexed publications (see Publications links) and in more than 75 international and national conferences. Likewise, she participates as reviewer for several scientific editorials (Elsevier, John Wiley & Sons, Biomed Central, American Society for Microbiology) and is member of several scientific societies.

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Biochemistry from the Zaragoza University (2006) and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of La Rioja (2011). She was awarded a scholarship from the Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BiFi) (2005) to work in the Project “Structural analysis of FAD synthetase from Corynebacterium ammoniagenes” directed by Dra Medina. After graduation, she was awarded a Research Personnel Training (FPI) from the Comunidad Autónoma de La Rioja, from 2007 to 2011, to perform her thesis project directed by Prof Carmen Torres. She received the summa cum laude honour and a European mention. During this period she carried out two three-month pre-doctoral stays in Dr Schwarz laboratory at the Institut für Nutztiergenetik (Friedrich Loeffler-Institut) (Mariensee, German), and with Dra. Coque in Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid.

From 2011 to 2013 she worked as Postdoctoral researcher in the project “Production and characterization of an Ae2 conditional knockout as a inducible model for PBC”, at the Gene Therapy and Hepatology Department in the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA). In 2013 she joined to the Molecular Diagnostic Unit at the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR) working in the project: “A New GEnetic LABoratory for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (ANGELab)”. During this period, she performed a stay in Dr. Hennekam group at the DNA Diagnostics Laboratory from the Academic Medical Center (Amsterdam). In 2017 she joined to the Molecular Microbiology research group at the CIBIR.

She has collaborated in four research national and international projects. She is co-author of more than 30 scientific papers (see Network links), 2 book chapters and more than 30 scientific communications in national and international congresses. She is member of the Official Association of Biologists and other scientific societies.

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Medicine from the University of Cantabria (2002), he got the Speciality in Microbiology and Parasitology in the Microbiology Laboratory at University Hospital of La Princesa in Madrid (2004-2008). From 2008 to 2011, he worked as Medical Microbiologist in UNILABS (Madrid, Spain), in the Microbiology Laboratory at the Bathalapalli RDT Hospital (Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India) and in the Microbiology Laboratory at the University Hospital of Príncipe de Asturias (Alcalá de Henares, Spain).

Since 2011, he works as Medical Microbiologist at the Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Diagnostic, in San Pedro Hospital (Logroño, Spain). His interest in knowing the antimicrobial resistance mechanisms led him to join to the Molecular Microbiology Area group at the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), where he is pursuing his PhD degree under supervision of Prof Carmen Torres and Dr Yolanda Sáenz.

In 2008, he performed a stay at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Alexander von Humbolt, in Lima, Peru. During 2008-2009 and 2011 he set up the Microbiology Laboratory of the Bathalapalli RDT Hospital, integrated at the sanitary project of Vicente Ferrer Foundation in Anantapur (India). He has experience and training in Tropical Medicine and imported diseases: Superior Diploma in International Public Health in the National School of healthy at the Carlos III Healthy Institute, Madrid (2009); Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in the Tropical Medicine School in Liverpool (UK) (2010) and Master of Hospital Management in the University of Alcalá de Henares (2012).

He has participated in 12 national research projects and he is co-author of 18 scientific publications (see Publications links) and 35 scientific communications in national and international congresses.

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Biology from the University of Barcelona (UB) in 2011, and Master in Advanced Microbiology from the Faculty of Biology of the UB (2011-2012). The final master project was carried out in the Enteropathogens group at the Center for International Health Research (CRESIB, currently ISGlobal), under supervision of Dr Joaquim Ruiz. She worked at the same group as doctoral researcher during another year.

Since 2013, she works in the Molecular Microbiology Area group at the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR). She was awarded a contract from Sistema Riojano de Innovación of the Government of La Rioja to perform a PhD. The thesis, entitled “Molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance in non-clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains”, is directed by Prof Carmen Torres and Dr Yolanda Sáenz.

She has collaborated in two national research projects, she is co-author of 6 scientific papers (see Publications links), and 21 scientific communications in national (10) and international (11) congresses, and she has been awarded two grants for national congress and symposium (SEIMC2014, Workshop Normofilm2016).

Publications

Biosketch

Graduate in Pharmacy from the University of the Basque Country (UPV) (2014). During his degree, she received awards to train in laboratory LAC S.L. (LA Rioja), and in the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology of the Faculty of Pharmacy in the UPV.

Since May 2015, she is FIR resident of the Department of Biomedical Diagnostics (Laboratory of Clinical Analysis) in the Hospital San Pedro. Currently, she is carrying out her thesis about Streptococcus bovis group in Molecular Microbiology Area group of Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR) under supervision of Dr Yolanda Sáenz and Dr Beatriz Rojo.

As other professional scientific activities, she has attended 10 training courses in the field of clinical laboratory, 7 congresses about health care, and the participation with the communication entitled "Antimicrobial resistance characterization of Streptococcus bovis group isolates recovered from Spanish hospital" at the ECCMID2017 International Congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Biosketch

Graduate in Biology from the University Autónoma of Madrid (UAM) in 2015, Master in Microbiology and Parasitology: research and development from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University Complutense of Madrid (UCM) (2015-2016) and Master in Teacher Training from University Rey Juan Carlos of Madrid (URJC) (2017-2018). She carried out the final degree project and the final master project, enclosed in the project “Population structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in first and pathogenic chronic bronchopulmonary colonization, and microbiome dynamic in cystic fibrosis. Multicenter study.” (FIS12/734), in the Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS) and in the Microbiology Service in the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, under the direction of Dr Rafael Cantón, Dr Rosa del Campo and Dr Juan de Dios Caballero.

In 2018, she was awarded with a contract from Sistema Riojano de Innovation of the Government of La Rioja to perform her PhD. Since then, she works in the Molecular Microbiology Area group at the Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR). The thesis, entitled “Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from clinical, animal and food origin” supervised by Dr Yolanda Sáenz and Dr María López.

She has collaborated in one multicenter national project and she is co-author of 7 scientific communications in national (2) and international (5) congresses.

Biosketch

Graduate in Biology from the University of País Vasco (2014) and Laboratory Technician in Analysis and Quality Control Laboratory from the I.E.S. La Laboral (Logroño, La Rioja) (2017). Her bachelor laboratory internship was performed at the regional laboratory of La Rioja and she participated in the study of benthic macroinvertebrates of La Rioja rivers.

In 2017 she completed her technician laboratory internship in the Molecular Microbiology Unit at Center of Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR). She also studied a specialised theoretical-practical course about cytogenetic and cellular cultures in the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biodonostia (Guipúzcoa).

In 2018, she initiated her work in the Molecular Microbiology Area at Center of Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), after a short period of work in a pharmaceutical company (Biomendi S.A.U., Bernedo, Álava).

Her professional trajectory includes research projects, different courses of researching and formation; as well as scientific communications in national and international congresses.

NATIONAL

Universidad de La Rioja (Logroño):

• Química Biológica (QuiBi)
  • Dr. Alberto Avenoza, Dr. Jesús Manuel Peregrina, Dra. María del Mar Zurbano, Dr. Jesús Héctor Busto, Dr. Francisco Corzana, Dr. Gonzalo Jiménez-Osés.
Grupo de Estudio de Interacciones Metálicas y sus Aplicaciones (GEIMA)
• • Dr. José M. López de Luzuriaga, Dr. Miguel Monge.
• Project and Portfolio Management Learning
  • Dr. Fernando Alba.

Asociación Profesional de Productores de sustratos y hongos de La Rioja, Navarra y Aragón (ASOCHAMP).

• Centro Tecnológico de Investigación del Champiñón de La Rioja (CTICH)
  • Dra. Margarita Pérez

Centro Tecnológico Empresarial Alimentario, CTIC-CITA

• Calidad y Seguridad Alimentaria
  • Laura Navarro

Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa (Zaragoza).

• Grupo de la Ecología de la resistencia Bacteriana. Laboratorio de Microbiología.
  • Dr. F. Javier Castillo, Dra. Cristina Seral

Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta-Institut d’Investigació Pere Virgili (IIPV)(Tortosa)

• Grup d’investigació en Microbiologia Clínica
  • Dra. Mar Olga Pérez

Hospital Universitario de Getafe

• Servicio de Microbiología
  • Dr. Juan Ignacio Alós

Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet (Zaragoza)

• Microbiología de infecciones de difícil diagnóstico y tratamiento (GIIS-023).
  • Dr. Antonio Rezusta

Universidad Miguel Hernández (Elche, Alicante)

• Departamento de Microbiología y Producción vegetal/Evolutionary Genomics Group (EGG)
  • Dr. Francisco Rodríguez-Valera

Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra

• Microbiología clínica Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra.
  • Dra. Carmen Ezpeleta, Dr. Xabier Beristain, Dra. Carmen Martín.

Clean-Biotec (Logroño)

• Dra. Nathalie Beaucourt

INTERNATIONAL

Université catholique de Louvain (Bruselas, Bélgica)

• Pharmacologie cellulaire et moléculaire, Louvain Drug Research Institute
  • Dra. Françoise van Bambeke, Dr. Paul M. Tulkens.

Columbia University (Nueva York, EEUU)

• Deparment of Pediatrics, College of Physicians & Surgeons
  • Dra. Alice Prince, Dr. Sebastian Riquelme.

University of Ulster (Coleraine, Irlanda del Norte, UK)

• Faculty of Life and Health Sciences. School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Dr. Ibrahim M. Banat

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology / University of Zurich (Zurich, Suiza)

• Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health / Food Microbiology Lab
  • Dr. Martin Loessner
• Functional Genomics Center Zurich (FGCZ)
  • Dr. Ralph Schlapbach

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (Puebla, Méjico)

• Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas. Laboratorio de Microbiología Hospitalaria y de la Comunidad. Instituto de Ciencias.
  • Dra. Patricia Lozano Zarain
• Dra. Rosa del Carmen Rocha Gracia

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Perú)

• Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt. Laboratorio de Enfermedades Entéricas, Nutrición y Resistencia Antimicrobiana
  • Dra. Coralith García

Université de Tunis (Túnez)

• Institut Supérieur des Sciences Biologiques Appliquées de Tunis (ISSBAT)
  • Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LMBA)
• Dr. Karim Ben Slama

Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia (Bab Saadoun, Túnez)

• Laboratory of Bacteriological Research
  • Dr. Mohamed Salah Abbassi