Francisco J. Álvarez Botas, Ph.D.

Professor Francisco J. Álvarez earned a PhD in Genetics at Stony Brook University, working mainly with the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans in the laboratory of Prof. James Konopka. He was later awarded a Marie Curie Fellowship for a postdoctoral position in the lab of Prof. Per Ljungdahl at Stockholm University, to work on a novel in vitro model of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Next, at the University of Aberdeen, he worked on the recognition of chitin by the human immune system in the lab of Prof. Neil Gow. He later worked with dental pulp stem cells in the lab of Dr. Misako Nakashima in the department of Dental Regenerative Medicine, at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (Obu, Aichi, Japan). At the same institution, he was awarded a Daiko Zaidan grant for research in the lab of Dr. Zenzo Isogai on human metalloproteases, which participate in the process of wound healing. In April 2015 he started a teaching and research position at Yachay Tech University.

Summary of Interests

Molecular genetics and microbiology, genetic engineering, design of novel in vitro conditions for the study of fungal pathogens, human and non-human diseases.

Selected publications

1. Alvarez, F. J. and Konopka, J.B. “Identification of an N-Acetylglucosamine transporter that mediates hyphal induction in Candida albicans”. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2007 March;18(3):965-75. DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E06-10-0931.
2. Alvarez, F. J., Ryman, K., Hooijmaijers, C., Bulone, V. and Ljungdahl, P. O. “Diverse nitrogen sources in seminal fluid act in synergy to induce filamentous growth of Candida albicans“. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. April 2015;81(8):2770-80. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.03595-14.
3. Alvarez, F. J., Douglas, L.M., Rosebrock, A. and Konopka, J.B. “The Sur7 protein regulates plasma membrane organization and prevents intracellular cell wall growth in Candida albicans”. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2008 December;19:5214-5225. DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E08-05-0479.
4. Alvarez, F. J. “The effect of chitin particle size, shape, source and purification method on immune recognition”. Molecules. April 2014;19(4):4433-4451. DOI: 10.3390/molecules19044433.

Research Projects

1. Generación de un modelo in vitro de candidiasis vulvovaginal.
2. Prevalencia de infecciones por el virus del papiloma humano y candidiasis vulvovaginal en mujeres Waorani (esperando aprobación).