Santiago Gutierrez

Since the year 2012, my research career has been focused on the application of fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma as biological control agents, specifically as a producer of primary or secondary metabolites with importance in the Trichoderma-plant-pathogen interactions. In this period our publications led to characterize the biosynthetic pathway of a group of fungal toxins of sesquiterpene nature known as trichothecenes, and it was possible to describe the importance of these compounds in the inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi growth, but also in the induction of the plant defense responses. However, one of the aspects reaching the highest impact in last years has been the description that the level of trichothecene production determines the levels of ergosterol-squalene in the fungal membranes, which also strongly affected to the interaction of these fungi with plants and to the responses induced in the latter.
Member of the Research Consolidated Unit number 264 (Castilla y Leon (Spain))
In my career as a microbiologist, and as results of the research activities mentioned above, I have published in some of the most prestigious journals in our research field, for example: PNAS, Journal of Biological Chemistry, BIO/TECNOLOGY, Environmental Microbiology, and PLoS Pathogens, among others. I authored 23 book chapters, 1 book, 134 articles in SCI journals (average IF > 3.4) (H-index: 43 WoS, 44 Scopus), 11 patents [7 International and 4 National]. I have supervised 13 Ph.D. Thesis and 3 Grade (“Tesinas”) works. Author of 181 Congress communications, and I reviewed 215 articles for 100 different SCI International Journals. I have participated in 30 research & development projects financed in public announcements (13 as PI) and in 10 research & development contracts with companies (5 as PI).
Currently, I´m the Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer of Knowledge at the University of León, since June 21st, 2024.