Maria Teresa Pérez Gracia

She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Santiago de Compostela, having been awarded the Extraordinary Doctoral Prize, and is a specialist in Microbiology and Parasitology (Ministry of Education and Science, Spain). She has been an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cádiz, collaborating on research and diagnostic work in the Microbiology Department and the Research Unit at the University Hospital of Puerto Real (Cádiz). She is currently a Professor of Microbiology at CEU Cardenal Herrera University. She has taught and continues to teach courses in Virology and Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Clinical Microbiology and Biological Analysis, and Laboratory Diagnosis within the degree programmes in Biology, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Pharmacy at the Universities of Santiago de Compostela, Cádiz and CEU Cardenal Herrera, as well as in postgraduate studies, having been responsible for the PhD course “Bacterial resistance to antimicrobials” at CEU Cardenal Herrera University. He has undertaken various postdoctoral fellowships, notably at the Virology Laboratory of Tours University Hospital (France), the Arbovirus and Imported Viral Diseases Laboratory at the National Microbiology Centre of the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid, and the Microbiology Department and Research Unit at the University Hospital of Puerto Real (Cádiz), where he has developed various diagnostic techniques in clinical microbiology. He has published over 80 scientific articles in impact-factor journals, and authored several books and numerous book chapters, having presented more than 200 papers at conferences. He has supervised several doctoral theses, as well as numerous research projects. He currently leads a research programme entitled “Molecular Diagnostics in Clinical Microbiology”, focusing on the study of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) and its implications for public health, and the development and implementation of new molecular diagnostic techniques. She has held various management positions (Secretary and Head of the Department of Healthcare, Public Health and Animal Health at CEU Cardenal Herrera University) and has served on several committees at the University of Cádiz (Faculty Recruitment, Teaching Monitoring and Development, Health and Safety) and at CEU Cardenal Herrera University (Library, Research and Doctoral Studies), as well as on the Faculty Board of the University of Cádiz and the Faculty Board, the Academic Senate and the Governing Council of CEU Cardenal Herrera University. She is currently Director of the Strategic Development and Quality Unit (UDEC) at UCH-CEU. She has received several awards, notably the “CÁDIZ” Prize from the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Cádiz and the Ángel Herrera Prize for the best teaching work in the Faculty of Experimental and Health Sciences. She contributes to the PhD Programme with a specialisation in “Cellular and Molecular Bases of Human Pathology” and the Master’s in Biomedicine, both at the University of Cádiz. She has served as coordinator of the Advanced Specialisation Diploma in Clinical Analysis (Very Illustrious Official College of Pharmacists of Valencia and CEU Cardenal Herrera University). She is a project evaluator for the Clinical Sciences and Public Health Division of the Fund for Scientific and Technological Research (FONCYT) under the National Agency for the Promotion of Science and Technology (ANPCYT) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation of the Argentine Republic, and for the Directorate-General for Scientific Research and Innovation in Health of the Italian Ministry of Health. She is a member of the editorial board of several journals.