Dr. Paloma Lopez | Biological Sciences | Excellence in Research Award 

Paloma López García has established herself as a leading figure in molecular microbiology and lactic acid bacteria research. Her work spans bacterial genetics, functional foods, probiotic and prebiotic development, and the characterization of microbial exopolysaccharides and vitamins. She has authored 147 scientific documents and accumulated 5,015 citations, reflecting the depth, continuity, and broad impact of her research. Her h-index of 39 underscores her sustained influence in the scientific community. Throughout her trajectory, she has advanced key discoveries in Streptococcus pneumoniae genetics, folate biosynthesis, DNA polymerase activity, metabolic regulation, and plasmid biology. She later founded and directed a research group dedicated to Gram-positive bacteria, pioneering studies on citrate metabolism in lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocin regulation, biogenic amine production, proteomic profiling, and microbial stress responses. Her contributions to functional food development include identifying probiotic strains, characterizing immunomodulatory β-glucans and dextrans, and enhancing riboflavin-producing bacteria for nutritional applications. Additionally, she has developed and commercialized plasmid vectors using fluorescent proteins, enabling innovative approaches to track bacterial functionality in eukaryotic models. Her leadership includes directing multiple national and international projects, mentoring doctoral researchers, registering patents, and actively engaging in scientific societies and evaluation panels. Collectively, her extensive body of work demonstrates a career dedicated to advancing microbial biotechnology and improving the scientific understanding of beneficial bacteria and their applications in health and food systems.