UTSA microbiologist Jose Lopez-Ribot elected president of international society

Jose Lopez-Ribot

By Christi Fish
Associate Director of Media Relations

(Sept. 1, 2011) -- Jose L. Lopez-Ribot, professor of microbiology in the UTSA College of Sciences Department of Biology and associate director of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, has been elected to serve as the 2012 president of the Medical Mycology Society of the Americas. Medical mycology is the study of fungal organisms that cause infectious diseases.

Lopez-Ribot will be the second UTSA professor to serve as president of the international Society. UTSA Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and STCEID member Floyd L. Wormley Jr. served as the society's youngest president in 2010.

A native of Spain, Lopez-Ribot is a pharmacist who transitioned into medical mycology research following receipt of his doctorate degree in microbiology and his Pharm.D. from the University of Valencia in Valencia, Spain, in 1991. His research focuses on understanding and preventing the spread of Candida albicans, commonly associated with superficial yeast infections and a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States.

The fungus, which proves fatal in 30-50 percent of patients with compromised immune systems, forms biofilms on catheters and other medical devices. Those biofilms give the fungus a safe place to grow and spread, making infections extremely difficult to treat.

Lopez-Ribot's career is marked by an enormous body of work. He is an author of more than 100 articles, 14 books or book chapters, and more than 200 abstracts for meetings. Additionally, he holds three U.S. patents for discoveries he and his collaborators made during the course of their C. albicans research. He also is an ad-hoc reviewer for more than 60 scholarly journals, some published in Spanish.

"The Medical Mycology Society of the Americas brings together microbiologists from North, Central and South America in a forum that allows them to share knowledge, develop professionally and establish new international research collaborations," said Lopez-Ribot. "I am privileged to have the opportunity to serve this organization, which represents many of the best medical mycologists in the world."

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September 20-21

Rio Bravo

Aproduction of the Gudalupe Cultural Arts Center, Rio Bravo showcases the vibrant music and dance traditions of the Texas-Mexico border region. Featuring the Guadalupe Dance Company and Mariachi Azteca de América, the performances will be filmed live both nights, courtesy of UTSA's College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

UTSA Downtown Campus

Saturday, September 21, 2:30 p.m.

UTSA Football Hispanic Heritage Game

Cheer on our Roadrunners as they face Houston Christian University. Featuring a special halftime show with Ballet Folklórico Sol de San Antonio and Mariachi Los Paisanos performing with the Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band.

Alamodome

Wednesday, September 25, 12:00 p.m.

Introduction to Searching PubMed

PubMed is an essential database for anyone conducting biomedical or health-related research. This workshop will teach attendees how to navigate this free resource effectively and locate peer-reviewed articles using basic & advanced search features, MeSH subject headings, and Boolean operators.

Virtual Event

Wednesday, September 25, 4:00 p.m.

Understanding Metadata and Cultural Heritage in Digital Humanities Projects

In this workshop, we will review the basic concept of metadata and how it can influence digital projects, particularly those that include images like exhibits and mapping. Through the lens of preserving cultural heritage, you will learn about some of the more popular types of metadata schema and participate in a hands-on Dublin Core cataloging exercise.

CEDISH Co-Lab 3.02.38, 3rd Floor, John Peace Library

Wednesday, September 25, 7:30 p.m.

Mariachi Los Paisanos Concert

Mariachi Los Paisanos & Mariachi Juviniles will perform. Free and open to the public.

UTSA Recital Hall

Thursday, September 26, 2:00 p.m.

All Majors Career Expo

Are you looking for a job/internship? Connect with over 60+ employers to learn more about their job/internship opportunities. All students and classifications are welcome to attend.

HEB Ballrooms

Friday, September 27, 12:30 p.m.

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Join UTSA Libraries and Museums to learn more about the publishing discounts available for UTSA researchers. Current agreements include Elsevier, Cambridge University Press, Springer Open, and more. Please bring your questions and feedback for the library as we continue to pursue partnerships with publishers to reduce costs for our researchers.

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