Africa Holguin – human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- Women Researcher Award

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Africa Holguin – human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- Women Researcher Award

Dr. Africa Holguin distinguished academic and researcher in the field Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). She is the Head of the HIV-1 Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory, affiliated with the Microbiology Department at Hospital Ramón y Cajal in Madrid and the Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS). As the leader of numerous national and international research projects, she secures funding from both public and private sources, oversees budget administration, and provides the essential expertise and leadership skills to guide and train her team successfully. She has authored over 150 scientific papers in international journals, often serving as the first or last author. Her research group collaborates with national partners and international public health agencies, focusing on well-established pediatric and adult populations across various countries. For more details on her publications, see her Google Scholar profile.

 

🌐 Professional Profile

Educations📚📚📚

She holds a Doctorate in Molecular Biology from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, earned in 1996, and a Licentiate in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the same university, completed in 1991. In 2011, she completed the “BIOCAMPUS 2011” Bioentrepreneurship training program, comprising 280 hours, organized by Fundación Genoma España. Additionally, she has undertaken more than 400 hours of training in leadership skills, human resources management, teamwork, coaching, leadership, negotiation, and strategy through various public courses organized by the Instituto de Administración Pública de Madrid (MAP) and the Dirección General de Función Pública de la Comunidad de Madrid.

Research Experiences

She is currently an Investigadora Titular del Sistema Nacional de Salud and the head of the HIV Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory at IRYCIS, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, in Madrid, a position she has held since 2022. Her career includes various roles, starting as a Becaria de Colaboración del MEC at the Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa,” CSIC, in Spain from 1989 to 1990. She then served as a predoctoral fellow at the same institution from 1990 to 1996 and a visiting predoctoral researcher at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, in 1995. From 1996 to 2000, she was a postdoctoral fellow funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS) at Hospital Carlos III in Madrid. In 1997, she also worked as a visiting postdoctoral researcher at the Georg-Speyer-Haus Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. From 2000 to 2008, she was an investigator at the Sistema Nacional de Salud, Hospital Carlos III. Since 2006, she has been a stabilized investigator at the Fundación para la Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Ramón y Cajal in Madrid.

Activities of technology / knowledge transfer and results exploitation

  • Actualmente la Unidad de Innovación del Instituto para la Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS)
    del Hospital Ramón y Cajal de Madrid está valorando la mejor vía de protección de unos
    aptámeros que reconocen específicamente regiones altamente conservadas de varias
    proteínas del VIH para una futura aplicación diagnóstica.
  • La Dra. Holguín es autora al 40% del programa BioInformático EpiMolBIo (Registro
    2305114294344 en SAFE CREATIVE S.L, 11-5-2023) para analizar secuencias genéticas
    de patógenos y de genes/proteínas de interés biomédico. Con él se analizó la conservación
    de la región de las 5 proteínas del virus usadas para seleccionar los aptámeros anti VIH
    de este proyecto (PMID:35495642, 35694284, 35910645, 33586996), y para estudiar la
    evolución del SARS-CoV-2 en España (PMID:35742840) y mundo (PMID:33557213)
📝🔬Publications📝🔬

1. Scientific paper. Valadés-Alcaraz, A.; Reinosa, R.; González-Hevilla, M.; Medina-Sánchez,
C.; Martín, M. A.; (6/6) Holguín, A. (AC). 2024. Development and characterization of
High-Affinity Aptamers for HIV Protease Detection. (Submitted).Nucleic Acids Research
(Open Acess). (JIF: 14.9, Decil 1 – 10/285, JCR 2022).

2. Scientific paper. Reinosa, R.; Troyano-Hernáez, P.; Valadés-Alcaraz, A.; (4/4) Holguín, A.
(AC). 2024. EpiMolBio: A Novel User-Friendly Bioinformatic Program for Genetic Variability
Analysis. (Submitted).Bioinformatics (Open Access). (JIF: 5.8, Q1 – 24/158 in Bioechnology
& applied Microbiology, JCR 2022).

3. Scientific paper. Rodríguez-Galet, A.; Ventosa-Cubillo, J.; Bendomo, V.; et al; (9/9)
Holguín, A. (AC). 2024. HIV Diagnosis in Equatorial Guinea. Keys to reduce the diagnostic
and therapeutic delay. (Submitted). Journal of Infection and Public Health (Open Acess).
(JIF: 6.7, Q1 – 18/96 in Infectious Diseases, JCR 2022).

4. Scientific paper. Martínez De Aguirre, P.; Carlos, S.; Pina-Sánchez, M.; et al; Reina,
G.; (8/9) Holguín, A.2024. High pre-Delta and early-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence
detected in dried blood samples from Kinshasa (D.R.Congo) (In press).Journal of Medical
Virology (Open Access). (JIF: 12.7, Decil 1 – 2/36, JCR 2022).

5. Scientific paper. Rodríguez-Galet, A.; Ventosa-Cubillo, J.; Eyene, M.; et al; (9/9) Holguín,
A. (AC). 2024. Immunity to six vaccine pathogens in HIV+ and HIV- children in Bata city,
Equatorial Guinea. (In press). Vaccines (Open Acess). (JIF: 7.8, Q1- 24/136 in Medicine,
Research & Experimental, JCR 2022).

6. Scientific paper. Epalza, C.; Valadés-Alcaraz, A.; González-Alba, J.M.; et al; (14/14)
Holguín, A. (AC). 2024. Transmitted Drug Resistance and HIV Diversity Among
Adolescents Newly Diagnosed With HIV in Spain.The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
(Open Acess). (JIF: 3.6, Q1 – 23/130 in Pediatrics, JCR 2022).43, pp.40-48. PMID:
37922511. https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000004138

7. Scientific paper. Mbuagbaw L; Garcia C; Brenner B; et al; Jordan, M.R.; (7/15)
Holguin, A.2023. Checklist for studies of HIV drug resistance prevalence or
incidence: rationale and recommended use.The Lancet HIV (Open Access). (JIF:
16.1, Decil 1 – 6/96 in Infectious Diseases, JCR 2022). 10, pp.e684-e689. PMID:
37716367. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-3018(23)00173-X

8. Scientific paper. Ventosa-Cubillo, J.; Pinzón, R.; González-Alba, J.M.; Estripeaut, D.;
Navarro, M.L.; (6/6) Holguín, A. (AC). 2023. Drug resistance in children and adolescents
with HIV in Panama.The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (Open Access). (JIF:
5.2, Q1- 55/278 in Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Ghada Hegazy- Microbiology- Best Researcher Award

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Ghada Hegazy- Microbiology- Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ghada Hegazy  distinguished academic and researcher in the field  Microbiology. She actively engaged in numerous educational and professional development activities, showcasing her commitment to advancing her expertise in microbiology and related fields. She lectured and participated in theoretical and practical training programs focused on detecting and enumerating various microorganisms, demonstrating her proficiency in laboratory techniques. Additionally, she contributed to enhancing the practical skills of students at Damanhur University and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport through microbiology training sessions.

Her dedication to continuous learning is evident in her attendance at courses and workshops covering topics such as chromatography, nanotechnology, and environmental data analysis. Furthermore, she participated in events aimed at raising awareness and addressing critical issues, including World Tsunami Awareness Day and the sustainable development of marine environments.

Moreover, she actively shared her knowledge and expertise by delivering lectures and participating in training courses, contributing to the professional development of her peers and the advancement of scientific research. Through her diverse participation and engagement, she has established herself as a dedicated and knowledgeable professional in the field of microbiology and environmental science.

🌐 Professional Profiles

📚📚Educations📚📚

She holds a permanent position as a Professor of Microbiology, having earned her academic qualifications from the Faculty of Science at Alexandria University. Her journey in microbiology began with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology, which she obtained with distinction in 2004. Subsequently, she pursued postgraduate courses in Microbiology, paving the path for her Master of Science degree in the same field, awarded in 2012. Continuing her academic pursuit, she went on to complete her Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology from Alexandria University in 2019. With her extensive education and expertise in the field, she stands as a distinguished figure in microbiological research and academia.

➢ Research interests:
1. Environmental biotechnological applications
2. Industrial applications
3. Medical applications
4. Marine pollution treatment
5. Energy production by using marine microorganisms

Appreciation Certificate🏅🏅

She has been honored with certificates of appreciation for her exemplary contributions to various events and initiatives. In recognition of her outstanding organizational efforts, she received a Certificate of Appreciation for her role in organizing World Tsunami Awareness Day in Alexandria on November 5, 2019. Additionally, her active and valuable participation in the celebration of World Oceans Day on June 8, 2022, earned her another Certificate of Appreciation. Furthermore, she was proudly presented with a certificate from Springer Nature Open Access for Egypt, acknowledging her contributions to advancing open access scholarly publishing in the region. These certificates reflect her dedication and impact in promoting awareness, collaboration, and scholarly excellence within her professional community.

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE BOOKs, ARTICLES REVIEW, NEWSLETTER, REPORT

➢ Book: Probiotics, the Natural Microbiota in Living Organisms (Fundamentals & Applications).
➢  Book: Lakes of Africa Microbial Diversity and Sustainability.
➢  Book; Mercury toxicity.
➢ Book: General characteristics of halophilic archaea and its applications.
➢ Book: Archaeal Secrets Unveiled: Applications of Haloalkaliphilic Archaea in Biomedicine and Energy.

Editorial Board Memberships

She serves on the editorial boards of prestigious journals, including the Annals of Civil and Environmental Engineering Journal, Journal of Marine Science and Research, and Insights of Clinical and Medical Images. Additionally, she is a valued member of various committees, contributing her expertise to further advancements in her field. Her specialization areas encompass marine and applied microbiology, with a particular focus on halophilic archaea. Furthermore, her proficiency extends to statistical analysis, enhancing the precision and depth of her research contributions. Through her multifaceted involvement and specialized knowledge, she significantly impacts the realms of microbiology, environmental engineering, marine science, and clinical research.

 

conference

She demonstrated her organizational prowess by orchestrating a series of impactful events. Notably, she spearheaded the webinar for the Marine Microbiology Lab on May 30th, 2021, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration in the field. Additionally, she played a pivotal role in organizing a workshop titled “Scientific Writing and Presentation Skills” at the National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries (NIOF) in Alexandria, held on September 8th and 9th, 2019. This workshop aimed to enhance the communication skills of participants, fostering effective dissemination of scientific findings. Furthermore, she contributed to raising awareness and preparedness for natural disasters by coordinating the World Tsunami Awareness Day event in Alexandria on November 5th, 2019. Through these endeavors, she showcased her dedication to promoting education, collaboration, and societal resilience.

 

📝🔬Publications📝🔬