María Ugarte Ruiz
Unit Chief
Foodborne Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit
Qualifications:
PhD in Veterinary Sciences
Máster en Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias
Degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Biography
María Ugarte Ruiz holds a Degree in Veterinary Science by Complutense University (2003-2008) and finished her studies at “École Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse” (France). She joined VISAVET Health Surveillance Center UCM as a researcher in 2009 and carried out a Master of Veterinary Science by Complutense University. In 2011 was awarded with a predoctoral grant (FPU) from Spanish Ministry due to her academic record. During that period, she realized internships at the London School and Tropical Medicine and in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio, USA. In July 2015 she defended her doctoral thesis entitled "Detection and characterization of Campylobacter from animals, food and sewage water”, qualified as “Sobresaliente cum laude”.
Currently is the Head of Foodborne Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit at VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre at Complutense University Madrid, Spain. She is in charge of several lines of research on the characterization of important foodborne pathogens for Public Health and the mechanisms involved in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance by using molecular tecniques as well as sequencing.
On the other hand, she has a solid background experience on foodborne zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance in Biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories. Besides, she has a great experience on classical microbiological techniques for antimicrobial resistance testing and epidemiological studies, as well as molecular characterization. She has participated in more than 30 research projects and in contracts and agreements with companies and Public Administrations, as a predoctoral fellow and, in recent years, as head of ZTA Unit. Her research resulting to date in 33 scientist’s articles, six of them as first author (21 Q1; 11 Q2; 3 Q3), as well as 29 participations in international conferences. She also co-authored the chapter of two books. Her h-index has risen recently to 12, receiving more than 200 citations for published works.
As an official veterinarian, she has expanded her academic training and participated as Assistant teacher (Inmunology and Microbiology) at Veterinary Medicine Degree at Complutense University from 2009. She has also taught at the official University Master`s Degree in Animal Production and Health and in training courses of the Community of Madrid, Veterinary Colleges etc. She participated in supervision of graduate students in their research projects. She has achieved the accreditation of Assistant Professor of University by ANECA in 2016 and Associate Professor in 2019.
Currently is the Head of Foodborne Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit at VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre at Complutense University Madrid, Spain. She is in charge of several lines of research on the characterization of important foodborne pathogens for Public Health and the mechanisms involved in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance by using molecular tecniques as well as sequencing.
On the other hand, she has a solid background experience on foodborne zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance in Biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories. Besides, she has a great experience on classical microbiological techniques for antimicrobial resistance testing and epidemiological studies, as well as molecular characterization. She has participated in more than 30 research projects and in contracts and agreements with companies and Public Administrations, as a predoctoral fellow and, in recent years, as head of ZTA Unit. Her research resulting to date in 33 scientist’s articles, six of them as first author (21 Q1; 11 Q2; 3 Q3), as well as 29 participations in international conferences. She also co-authored the chapter of two books. Her h-index has risen recently to 12, receiving more than 200 citations for published works.
As an official veterinarian, she has expanded her academic training and participated as Assistant teacher (Inmunology and Microbiology) at Veterinary Medicine Degree at Complutense University from 2009. She has also taught at the official University Master`s Degree in Animal Production and Health and in training courses of the Community of Madrid, Veterinary Colleges etc. She participated in supervision of graduate students in their research projects. She has achieved the accreditation of Assistant Professor of University by ANECA in 2016 and Associate Professor in 2019.
Investigation
Research lines:
- Modification of intestinal microbiota, Healthy Gut (ZTA)
- Genetic characterization of Campylobacter (ZTA)
- Molecular characterization of human reservoirs potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli, animal and environmental (ZTA)
- Genetic characterization of antimicrobial resistance (ZTA)
- Genetic characterization of microorganisms populations (ZTA)
- Foodborne zoonoses in animals and meat, eggs and other products from animal origin intended for human consumption, mainly Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp., Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica (ZTA)
- Antimicrobial resistances in pathogens, food-borne zoonotic agents and indicators (ZTA)
Last scientific publications:
- Lopez-Chavarrias V., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Barcena C., Olarra-Guillen A., Garcia M., Saez JL., De Frutos C., Serrano T., Perez I., Moreno MA., Dominguez L. and Alvarez J.. Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance to Aminoglycosides and Macrolides in Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni From Healthy Livestock in Spain (2002–2018). Frontiers in Microbiology, 12:689262. 2021. (A)
- Miguela-Villoldo P., Moreno MA., Rebollada A., Rodriguez-Bertos A., Hernandez M., Rodriguez-Lazaro D., Gallardo A., Quesada A., Goyache J., Dominguez L. and Ugarte-Ruiz M.. Colistin selection of the mcr-1 gene in broiler chicken intestinal microbiota. Antibiotics, 10:677. 2021. (A)
- Gallardo A., Iglesias M., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Hernandez M., Miguela-Villoldo P., Gutierrez G., Rodriguez-Lazaro D., Dominguez L. and Quesada A.. The plasmid-mediated Kluyvera-like arnBCADTEF operon confers colistin (hetero) resistance to Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 65(5):e00091-21. 2021. (A)
- Saka, K.H., Garcia-Soto S., Dabo NT., Lopez-Chavarrias V., Muhammad B., Ugarte-Ruiz M. and Alvarez J.. Molecular detection of extended spectrum B-lactamase genes in Escherichia coli clinical isolates from diarrhoeic children in Kano, Nigeria. PLoS ONE, 15(12):e0243130. 2020. (A)
- Miguela-Villoldo P., Moreno MA., Hernandez M., Rodriguez-Lazaro D., Gallardo A., Borge C., Quesada A., Dominguez L. and Ugarte-Ruiz M.. Complementarity of selective culture and qPCR for colistin resistance screening in fresh and frozen pig caecum samples. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11:572712. 2020. (A)
Outreach
Last outreach publications:
- Ugarte-Ruiz M., Alvarez J., Escudero JA., Gonzalez-Zorn B., Miguela-Villoldo P., Moreno MA., Rebollada A., Rodriguez-Bertos A. and Dominguez L.. Resistencias antimicrobianas y One Health. REDRISA, Vetdivulga. 2020.
- Juez-García M., Alvarez J., Sotodosos-Carpintero M. and Ugarte-Ruiz M.. Asociación entre resistencia a antibióticos y serotipos en Salmonella de transmisión alimentaria. Revista Madrileña de Salud Pública, 4(5):1-8, Dirección General de Salud Pública de la Consejería de Sanidad de la Comunidad de Madrid. 2020.
- Florez-Cuadrado D., Moreno MA., Ugarte-Ruiz M. and Dominguez L.. Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain in the European Union. 86(5):115-136, Biological Emerging Risks in Foods. Ed. 1. Academic Press. 2018.
- Leekitcharoenphon P., Garcia-Graels C., Botteldoorn N., Dierick K., Kempf I., Olkkola S., Rossi M., Nykasenoja S., Malorny B., Stingl K., Battisti A., Franco A., Mossong J., Veldman K., Mevius D., Wasyl D., Wieczorek K., Osek J., Clemente L., Lacatus A., Nicorescu I., Aguero Garcia M., de Frutos Escobar C., Duran Ferrer M., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Anjum MF., Teale C., Agren J., Hendriksen RS. and Aarestrup FM.. Comparative genomics of quinolone-resistantand susceptibleCampylobacter jejuniof oultry origin from major poultry producing European countries (GENCAMP). EFSA Journal, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). 2018.
- Moreno MA., Florez-Cuadrado D., Ugarte-Ruiz M. and Dominguez L.. Veterinarios y antibióticos: destinados a entenderse. Profesión Veterinaria, Asís. 2018.
Last communications:
- Bernabé Diéguez B., Samper-Cativiela C., Ugarte-Ruiz M., de Frutos C., Duran M., Aguero M., Moreno MA. and Alvarez J.. Assesing variability of incx1 plasmids from S. Enteritidis isolates in Spain. One Health EJP Annual Scientific Meeting. 2021. (Oral communication)
- Miguela-Villoldo P., Moreno MA., Aguero M., Saez JL., Dominguez L. and Ugarte-Ruiz M.. Evaluation of the effect of colistin reduction in pigs on Mcr-1 detection. One Health EJP Annual Scientific Meeting. 2021. (Oral communication)
- Ferrandis- Vila M., Berens C., Tiwari S.K., Van der Putten B., Vinh TN., Bootsma M., La Ragione R., Matamoros S., Thi Hoa N., Alvarez J., Jolivet D., Ritchie J., Fruth A., Leng J., Schwarz S., Dominguez L., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Bethe A., Ewers C., Fivian- Hughes A., Semmler T., Schultsz C. and Menge C.. In vivo and in vitro analysis of E. coli strains for host specificity and antibiotic resistance transmission. Zoonoses 2020 - International Symposium on Zoonoses Research. 2020. (Poster communication)
- Ugarte-Ruiz M.. ¿Usamos los antibióticos con responsabilidad? La lucha contra la resistencia antimicrobiana, un problema global. ucm.es Cultura Científica. 2020. (Web interview)
- Ugarte-Ruiz M.. Zoonosis de transmisión alimentaria y resistencias a antimicrobianos. Centro VISAVET-UCM: cómo trabajar en un laboratorio de alta seguridad biológica. XX Semana de la Ciencia Madri+d. 2020. (Oral communication)
