Fernando Alexis Gonzales, Ph.D.

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Fernando Gonzales, Ph.D.

Profesor Agregado 3

  • fgonzales@yachaytech.edu.ec

Biografía

Dr. Gonzales is a Molecular Biologist and Biochemist with expertise in Synthetic Biology and Genetic Engineering. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Federico Villarreal University in Peru and pursued his master’s and doctoral studies in Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo. During his doctoral research, he investigated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) processing in *Saccharomyces cerevisiae*.
As a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Dr. Gonzales studied the functions of proteins involved in rRNA modifications. He then continued his research at Aarhus University in Denmark, focusing on the mechanisms governing messenger RNA (mRNA) maturation and its transport to the cytoplasm. Upon returning to Brazil, he joined the University of São Paulo as a postdoctoral researcher, where he elucidated the intracellular transport of RNA Exosome proteins.
Since 2017, Dr. Gonzales has been a Research Professor at the School of Biological Sciences and Engineering at Yachay Tech University. He teaches Biochemistry and other undergraduate courses, including Biology, Genetic Engineering, Molecular Biology, and Synthetic Biology. Additionally, he lectures on Synthetic Biology at the postgraduate level.
Research Interests:
  1. Dispersion and prevalence of enteric microorganisms with antibiotic resistance in Ecuador.
  2. Effects of pesticides on gene expression in Eukaryotes.
  3. Use of Synthetic Biology to solve everyday problems.
  4. Molecular and Cellular Biology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Selected publications:
  1. Reina-Posso, D., Gonzales-Zubiate, F.A. (2025). Expanding Horizons: The Untapped Potential of Kluyveromyces marxianus in Biotechnological Applications. Fermentation, 11(2), 98. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11020098 (Scopus Q2 – Impact Factor 3.3)
  2. Gonzales-Zubiate, F.A., Tambor, J.H.M., Valencia-Bacca, J., Villota-Burbano, M.F., Cardenas-Arias, A.R., Esposito, F., Moura, Q., Fuga, B., Sano, E., Jacome, M.P.O., Lincopan, N. (2025). Pandemic One Health clones of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae producing CTX-M-14, CTX-M-27, CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-65 ESβLs among companion animals in northern Ecuador. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. Section Molecular Bacterial Pathogenesis. Volume 13, 2025. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1259764 (Scopus Q1 – Impact Factor: 4.6).
  3. Castillo-Mendieta, K., Arias, J., and Gonzales-Zubiate, F.A. (2023). “Upgrading Non-conventional Yeasts into Valuable Biofactories” In the Book “Biotechnology – Biosensors, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Annual Volume 2023”. IntechOpen Limited, London, UK. Editor: Luis Jesús Villarreal-Gómez. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109903
    ISBN: 978-0-85014-090-3
  4. Lincopan, N., Maturrano, L., Luna, L., Muñoz, M., Fuentes-Castillo, D., Gonzales-Zubiate, F.A., Vignoli, R., Di Conza, J., and Gutkind, G. (2023). “WHO Critical Priority Escherichia coli in Latin America: A One Health Challenge for a Post-Pandemic World” IN THE BOOK “Trending topics in Escherichia coli Research – The Latin American perspective”. SPRINGER. Edited by Torres, A.G. OnlineISBN: 978-3-031-29882-0, PrintISBN: 978-3-031-29881-3. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29882-0_1
  5. Motoche-Monar, C., Ordoñez, J. E., Chang, O., & Gonzales-Zubiate, F. A. (2023). gRNA Design: How Its Evolution Impacted on CRISPR/Cas9 Systems Refinement. Biomolecules, 13(12), 1698. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13121698
    (Scopus Q1 – Impact Factor: 4.8).
  6. Lee, Y-J., Lee, C.Y., Grzechnik, A., Gonzales-Zubiate, F.; Vashisht, A.A., Lee, A., Wohlschlegel, J., Chanfreau, G.F. (2013). RNA Polymerase I Stability Couples Cellular Growth to Metal Availability. Molecular Cell, v.51, p.105-115, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2013.05.005
    (Scopus Q1 – Impact Factor: 14.5).
Research Projects: 
  1. PII24-03 Diseño y construcción de un biosensor para detección de pesticidas.
  2. BIO23-10 Levaduras no-convencionales como una alternativa para producción de valiosos compuestos biotecnológicos.
  3. BIO23-07 Efectos en la expresión génica en presencia de pesticidas utilizados en la provincia de Imbabura.
Links:
SCOPUS:
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ORCID: