ARANCHA LLAMA-PALACIOS

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Sciences, specializing in Biochemistry, from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), obtained in June 1997. I was awarded a predoctoral fellowship associated with a European Project (1998–2002), through which I completed my PhD thesis in the Department of Biotechnology (Biochemistry Unit) at the School of Agricultural Engineering (E.T.S.I. Agrónomos) of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM). This thesis was defended in November 2002 and received the highest distinction: Sobresaliente Cum Laude. I was awarded the UPM Extraordinary Doctorate Award for the academic year 2002–2003. Following that, I received a postdoctoral fellowship linked to a project funded by the Community of Madrid (CAM) (2003–2004). During this period, I studied different genes of the phytopathogenic bacterium Dickeya dadantii (formerly Erwinia chrysanthemi) involved in its adaptation to the plant apoplast during plant-pathogen interactions. Subsequently, I was awarded a Juan de la Cierva research contract (resolution February 2005, area: Medicine) (November 2005–November 2008) in the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology at the Faculty of Pharmacy (UCM), where I analyzed membrane proteins of Candida albicans using proteomic tools and expressed various recombinant proteins of this fungus. I also held several postdoctoral contracts in the Department of Clinical Dental Specialties at the Faculty of Dentistry (UCM) (from late 2008 to October 2019). During this time, I contributed to the development of an in vitro subgingival multispecies biofilm model and applied it to study biofilm formation on different implant surfaces and its response to various antimicrobial treatments. I also analyzed differential protein expression in periodontal pathogenic bacteria when forming oral biofilms. Later, I obtained a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine (UCM) (October 2019–January 2023). Since January 2023, I have been promoted to Associate Professor in the same department. Currently, I serve as the Academic Secretary of the Department of Medicine (UCM) and am a member of the research group GINTRAMIS (Translational Research Group in Microbiota and Health), where I analyze the response of colon cells to treatment with probiotic strains and various metabolites produced by the gut microbiota. Additionally, I study the response of the oral microbiota and its metabolites following different treatments.