Alma Angélica Del Villar-Martínez Editor

Alma Angélica Del Villar-Martínez, Ph.D is a Scientist at the Molecular Biology Laboratory, from the Department of Biotechnology at Centro de Desarrollo de Productos Bióticos (CEPROBI) in the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) in Morelos, México. She received her bachelor’s degree in Bio-pharmaceutical Chemistry, MSc, and Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from the Department of Biotechnology at CINVESTAV-IRAPUATO, Mexico, as well as being a member of the National System of Researchers (Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, SNI-CONACYT). She supervises research of ungraduated/graduate students and visiting scholars and works closely with local and global research. Dr. Del Villar-Martínez develops research projects related to the study of medicinal plants, with pharmacological potential; she has been involved in the biological potential of extracts from plant sources, in the development and induction of compounds with an antioxidant and anticancer effect, in the analysis of the chemical profile of extracts from different medicinal plants and the study of pigments of pharmacological and food interest; through the use of different biotechnological tools to improve the biosynthesis of the metabolites of interest from invitro cultures. She aims to generate knowledge concerning the development of products of industrial interest for their application in biological systems and its use around health. Del Villar-Martínez has published 25 peer-reviewed research papers, 2 book chapters, among other reviews and abstracts.

Juan Arturo Ragazzo-Sánchez, Ph.D is a Professor-Researcher at Tecnológico Nacional de México / Instituto Tecnológico de Tepic, in the Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Department of Food Science. He supervises research of ungraduated/graduate students and visiting scholars and work closely with local and global research, education, and International Programs (CYTED, European Union) and partnerships with the private sector. He is Chemical Engineering and MSc in Biochemical Engineering, from Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz. Later, he received PhD in “Food Sciences” from Doctoral School of Biological and Industrial Sciences and Processes (University of Montpellier –France). He also has done research stays at different institutions such as at Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group of IATA-CSIC under the tutelage of Prof. Jose Maria Lagaron; at the Department of Génie Biologique et Agroalimentaire - UMR IATE – Université de Montpellier, France; under the tutelage of Mme. Prof. Dominique Chevalier-Lucia.

The major theme in Dr. Ragazzo' research is the utilization of different strategies to improve the extraction of high-value biological compounds (HVBC) from vegetables sources and their protection by encapsulation. These strategies include the use of different extraction methods, and micro and nano encapsulation processes, as well as development of new biopolymer material obtained from naturals sources to be used in encapsulation processes of HVBC, enzymes, and antagonistic microorganisms to obtain bioformulation which are used in the pathogenic control in pre and postharvest stage in agriculture. Ragazzo-Sanchez has published 75 peer-reviewed research papers, 12 book chapters, edited 1 book, leaded more than 50 research projects, 5 patents and many other reviews and abstracts. In 2019 he is Co-Coordinator of the DESEAAR- CYTED Network, 319RT0576 (Desarrollo sostenible en Agroalimentación y Aprovechamiento de Residuos industriales).

Pablo Emilio Vanegas-Espinoza, Ph.D is a Researcher at Centro de Desarrollo de Productos Bióticos (CEPROBI) of Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), in the Molecular Biology Laboratory, from the Department of Biotechnology. As a professor, he teaches subjects such as Molecular Biology, Selected Topics on Secondary Metabolites in Plants, Biotechnology of in vitro Cultures, he supervises research of ungraduated/graduate students. He is an Agricultural Engineer in Horticulture and MSc and Ph.D in Plant Biotechology, from Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV-IPN), Campus Guanajuato, México. Working in plant cell culture and genetic transformation for more than 25 years.