Dr. M. Pilar Francino
Dr. Francino is head of the Genomics and Health Area of the FISABIO research foundation in Valencia, Spain. She previously served as Evolutionary Genomics Program Leader at the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in California, one of the largest genomics centers in the world. Her research spans from basic evolutionary genomics to the study of the human microbiome, its development and its interactions with diet and health. She has enjoyed prestigious international fellowships such as the postdoctoral EMBO Fellowship and has received large research grants from numerous US (NIH; NSF; DOE), Spanish and EU funding agencies. Her research has resulted in ~65 articles in scientific journals including Nature, Science, Nature Genetics and Nature Communications, as well as 7 book chapters and 5 edited books. She routinely participates in grant review and other scientific evaluation committees in the US and Europe.
Prof. José Ángel Rufián Henares
Prof. Rufián’s research is divided into two main pillars: the effect of thermal treatment on the nutritional value of foods and the effect of foods on the gut microbiota. In the first one, he studies the application of Maillard reaction indicators to control food thermal treatment. Within this line, he has participated in 11 research projects and COST actions, and has been the Spanish coordinator of the Latin American network LACFUN. In the second line, Prof. Rufián has studied the effect of foods on the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota, with special attention on the metabolization of phytochemicals and the extraction of antioxidant capacity. He has participated in the COST actions INFOGEST, UNGAP and INFOGUT. His research activity has produced ~180 papers, in journals including Nature Communications and Nature Protocols. He has coordinated the European project Stance4Health, centered on the modulation of the gut microbiota, involving 19 partners from 8 countries. He has participated in research contracts with various companies, obtaining several patents. He is an evaluator for the International Foundation for Science, the Ministries of Research of Spain and other countries, and the European Commission. He is an Honorary Member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and has been awarded the Laza Palacios Prize, the Prize of the Spanish Royal Academy of Pharmacy, the Vicky Foods Foundation Award and the Somos Fanes Award. He is included in the top 2% of world researchers in Food Sciences & Technology according to Stanford’s Ranking of World Scientists.