Susana Vílchez

Graduate in Chemistry at the University of Granada (UGR) in June 1995. Doctor in Chemistry (top mark sobresaliente cum laudem) at the UGR in December 2000. Postdoctoral stay (2001-2005) at the Department of Biochemistry and the Institute of Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge (UCam), UK. Lecturer at the Plant Science Degree of UCam in the academic year 2003/2004. Bench supervisor of 2 Master degrees at the Department of Biochemistry of the UCam. Ramón y Cajal researcher (2005-2010) at the Institute of Biotechnology at the UGR. Assistant Professor (non-civil servant) in Jun 2011. Qualified as Civil Servant Associate Professor in September 2012. Supervisor of three doctoral thesis (one in progress). Professor in the Master in Biotechnology of UGR in the subject “Biological insecticides”. Professor in the Biochemistry degree (Enzymology and enzymatic technology) and Biology degree (Practical course in Biochemistry, and Laboratory Methods). Tutor of 22 Master ́s thesis at the UGR. Tutor of 10 Grade ́s thesis at the UGR and co-tutor of one at the University of Sassari. 30 papers, 39 communications in international and national congresses. 5 patent applications. Participation in 30 research projects, 5 as Principal investigator. 1 Research Contract with BayerCropScience. Edition secretary of Parasitaria journal (2011-2016). Secretary of the Institute of Biotechnology (2012-2021) and Director of the Institute of Biotechnology (2021-currently). From 2005, thanks to the Ramón y Cajal Program I could establish a new research line at the research group CTS-183 (Biochemistry and Molecular Parasitology) at the UGR called Biological Control of Pest and Vectors. All my previous experience in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Microorganisms was applied to start my current activity of developing and studying novel biotechnological tools for the control of insects, mites and parasites and other organisms. Currently I ́m the PI of two research lines, aiming the development and study of artificial Cry toxins obtained by phage display technology and searching for novel virulence factor in a newly isolated B. pumilus strain toxic against C. capitata. I also I ́m a research collaborator in my host group, in the field of Parasitology, specifically in the area of immunization and vaccine development, toxoplasma and Tripanosoma cruzi.