Cristina Ortega-Ferrusola

PhD

Spain

My research career began at the University of Extremadura (Uex) in 2007, where I completed my Bachelor’s thesis (2009) and PhD thesis (2011), which received the “European Doctorate mention” and was awarded with the “Extraordinary Doctorate Prize”. After completing my PhD thesis, I obtained a post-doctoral contract at the Uex, continuing my research and providing extension services. I also completed several pre-doctoral visits at the University of Hannover, Uppsala and in an embryo transfer facility in Argentina that collaborates with Texas A&M University. In 2015, I was awarded with a post-doctoral grant at the University of León (Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación) which I finished in November of 2017. I have been "Profesor Ayudante Doctor" in the Animal Medicine Department since July of 2018-july of 2020 and currently I have a position as “Profesor Contratado Doctor”. My scientific production has included 91 scientific papers, occupying in 70% of them a relevant position in the authors list. Currently, I have an h index of 29, 2357 citations and I developed two patents involving semen extenders for cryopreservation. I was invited to speak at 11 international conferences. My research is concerned with understanding the molecular mechanisms of aging and cell death of equine sperm during conservation (apoptotic and oxidative mechanisms). This research is complemented by two new lines of investigation: “the study of vascular hemodynamics of the testis and endometrium and their effects on equine reproduction” and “the study of the vaginal and endometrial microbiome and their effect on fertility in mares”. I have received funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation-State Research Agency (PID2019-107797RA-100/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the European Fund for Regional Development-Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Agenda of the Junta de Extremadura (IB20163). Our international research activities include collaborations with the University of Uppsala, Linköping, Utrecht, Kentucky, Finland, Lisbon, Texas, Vienna, Bolonia, and Newcastle (Australia). I supervised 4 PhD thesis (International and European mention) (two additional PhD thesis projects in process) and supervised more than 20 end-of-degree projects. Recently, I received accreditation for the positions of “Profesor Titular” by “ANECA”. I am board member of “AERA”, and I have been a member of several local organizing and scientific committee of International Congress. I have received several awards: the “AGROGANADERA 2012 award” and the Travel Award of the American Society of Andrology 2016. I finished my residency in the European College in Animal Reproduction (ECAR). I am reviewer for several international journals and for ANEP and The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland.