ZAVALA CERNA, MARIA GUADALUPE

Apart from holding the position of director of research development, I am also a full-time professor in the school of medicine at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, where I have led and conducted educational and research projects in the health sciences area. I am always interested in establishing collaborations with other institutions, which might enhance the learning experience of students, professors, and myself. I led collaborations with Harvard Medical School and participated in the collaboration with Arizona State University to improve medical curriculum contents and strengthen student’s academic performance.
My research interests are aimed to dissect the origins of immunopathology, as it is the result of an abnormal immune response than more than often contributes to a worsening of several pathologies, such as cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. I also have a personal interest driven by curiosity about the origin of autoimmune diseases, particularly how can this be exploited and used as possible therapies to diseases with chronic affection of the immune response. For this purpose, I have participated and collaborated to several projects, funded by the National Advice for Science and Technology in Mexico to investigate the immune response to prevalent and emergent infectious diseases and identification of biomarkers for chronic conditions. These experiences offer me the possibility to work in an interdisciplinary form, and with other institutions, which allowed me to recognize the value of such interactions for personal growth.