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Biographical Sketch
Professor María José Alonso
A. Positions and Honors
Academic positions:
1998-Present: Full Professor, University of Santiago de Compostela, USC
2006-2010: Vice-Rector of Research and Innovation of the USC
1991-92: Visiting Scientist, MIT, Cambridge, US
1989: Visiting Scientist, University of Angers, France
1987-1998: Associate Professor, University of Santiago de Compostela, USC
1986: Visiting Scientist, University of Paris XI, France
1985: Assistant Professor, University of Santiago de Compostela, USC
Honors:
Participation in committees and boards:
1995-97: Founder and president of the Board of Directors of the “Spanish Portuguese Chapter of the Controlled Release Society”, Spain
1995-98: “Governor of the Controlled Release Society Inc.”, USA
1998-00: Member of the “Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences” (1998-00), “(FIP) International Pharmaceutical Federation”, USA
1997-00: Member of the “Scientific Advidsory Board”, “(APGI) Association de Pharmacie Galénique Industrielle”, France
1997-00: Secretary of the Board of Directors of the “Spanish Portuguese Chapter of the Controlled Release Society”, Spain
2003-07: “Individual member representative”, (EUFEPS) European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sweden
2012-2015: Member of the Advisory Board of the “Controlled Release Society Inc.”
2013-16: Member of the Board –Director-at-Large- of the Controlled Release Society (CRS, Inc.)
2016: Secretary of “Controlled Release Society Inc.”
2017: President-elect of “Controlled Release Society Inc.”
2018: President of “Controlled Release Society Inc.”
2019: Past President of “Controlled Release Society Inc.”
Awards and recognitions:
– “King Jaume I” Award on New Technologies (2011)
– “Novoa Santos” Award (2011)
– Medal of the General Council of Pharmacy (2012)
– “Josefa Wonenburger” Women in Sciences Award granted by the Xunta de Galicia (2013)
– “Maurice Marie Janot Award” granted by the European Pharmaceutical Society (APGI) (2014)
– Medalla Castelao awarded by Xunta de Galicia (2018)
– “CRS Founders Award”, granted by the Controlled Release Society, Inc. (CRS, Inc) (2018)
-‘The Power List’ of the 20 most influential researchers in biopharmaceuticals (The Medicine Maker, 2020)
– ‘Distinguished Service Award’, granted by the Controlled Release Society, Inc. (CRS, Inc). (2020)
– ‘Women in Science Award’, granted by the Controlled Release Society, Inc. (CRS, Inc). (2020)
– Medal of Merit in Research and Education granted by the Ministry of Sciences and Innovation (Spain) (2020)
-‘Burdinola Research Award’, granted by Burdinola (2021)
-‘Honorific Award for Excellence in Scientific Research’, granted by AstraZeneca Foundation (2021)
– Member of the Galician Academy of Pharmacy
– Member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Pharmacy
– Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Galicia
– Member of the US National Academy of Medicine
– Member of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows
– Member of the College of Fellows of the Controlled Release Society, Inc. (CRS, Inc)
-Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium
B. Research Interests: Transmucosal (Nasal, Oral, Ocular) Drug delivery, Targeted Drug Delivery
Advancement of fundamental understanding of the interaction of nanomaterials with biological barriers and development of new delivery technologies for the treatment of various diseases.
Publications: (295 total publications)
a. H-index: 75, 18.568 times cited (Impact measured in July 2020)
b. 10 highest-impact publications (Impact measured in September 2019)
- Calvo P., Remuñán-López C., Vila-Jato J.L., Alonso M. J., Novel hydrophilic chitosan-polyethylene oxide nanoparticles as protein carriers, J. Appl. Polymer Sci., 63, 125-132 (1997). Times Cited: 1.036
- Janes K., Calvo P., Alonso M.J., Polysaccharide colloidal particles as delivery systems for macromolecules, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev., 47, 83-97 (2001). Times Cited: 717
- Janes K., Fresneau M.P., Marazuela A., Fabra A., Alonso M.J., Chitosan nanoparticles as delivery sytems for doxorubicin, J. Control. Rel., 73, 255-267 (2001). Times Cited: 502
- Calvo P., Remuñán-López C., Vila-Jato J.L., Alonso M. J., Chitosan and Chitosan/Ethylene Oxide-Propylene Oxide Block Copolymer Nanoparticles as Novel Carriers for Proteins and Vaccines, Pharm. Res., 14, 1431-1436 (1997). Times Cited: 492
- Vila A., Sánchez A., Tobío M., Calvo P., Alonso M.J., Design of biodegradable particles for protein delivery, J. Control. Rel., 78, 15-24 (2002). Times Cited: 466
- De Campos A., Sánchez A., Alonso M.J., Chitosan nanoparticles: a new vehicle for the improvement of the ocular retention of drugs. Application to Cyclosporin A, Int. J. Pharmaceut., 224, 159-168 (2001). Times Cited: 401
- Fernández Urrusuno R., Calvo P., Remuñán-López C., Vila Jato J.L., Alonso M.J., Enhancement of nasal absorption of insulin using chitosan nanoparticles, Pharm. Res., 16, 1576-1581 (1999). Times Cited: 399
- Zambaux M.F., Bonneaux F., Gref R., Maincent P., Dellacherie E., Alonso M.J., Labrude, Vigneron C., Influence of experimental parmeters on the characteristics of PLA nanoparticles prepared by a double emulsion method, J. Control. Rel., 50, 31-40 (1998). Times Cited: 356
- Vila A., Sánchez A., Janes K. A., Behrens I., Kissel T., Vila Jato J. L., Alonso M. J., Low molecular weight chitosan nanoparticles as new carriers for nasal vaccine delivery, Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm., 57, 123-132 (2004). Times Cited: 317
- Lorenzo-Lamosa M.L., Remuñán-Lopez C., Vila-Jato J.L., Alonso M. J., Design of microencapsulated chitosan microspheres for colonic drug delivery, J. Control. Rel., 52, 109-118 (1998). Times Cited: 302
C. Current grant support
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- “NANOFAR Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Nanomedicine and Pharmaceutical Innovation”, EMJD NanoFar-ref.520170-1-2011-1-FR-ERA MUNDUS-EMJD, financed by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2013-2017)
- “Brain-Specific, Modular and Active RNA Therapeutics” B-SMART, EUROPEAN COMMISSION– H2020-NMBP-2016-2017 (2016-2021) Principal Investigator: M.J. Alonso
- “Consolidation and structuration 2017 GRC GI-1643 – Nanotecnologies applied to the design of drug delivery systems” (NANOBIOFAR) / REF: ED431C 2017/09, Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria (2017-2020). Principal Investigator: Dolores Torres López
- “A multifunctional nanomedicine for the treatment of metastatic cancer” (ONCOMETA) – IGNICIA 2017, Axencia Galega de Innovación, Xunta de Galicia-IGNICIA Programme 2017 (2017-2019). Principal Investigator: M.J. Alonso
- “Enhancing the effect of Cancer Immunotherapythrough the Re-education of Tumor Associated Macrophages”, Research Grants for AECC researcher in the field of oncology Spanish Asociation of Cancer-AECC (2018-2020). Principal Investigator: M.J. Alonso
- “Nano-Immunotherapy: Intracellular Targeting of Cancer Cells and Tams”, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity, EuroNanoMedIII – ERA NET (PCIN-2017-129/ AEI) (2017-2020). Principal Investigator: Mª José Alonso (Coordinator)
- “Integrated Nano-Immunotherapies Targeted to Intracellular Proteins Relevant in Cancer”, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (SAF2017-86634-R), (2018-2020). Principal Investigator: Mª José Alonso
- “Meniscal functionalised scaffold to prevent knee Osteoarthritis onset after meniscectomy” (MEFISTO), EUROPEAN COMMISSION- H2020-NMBP-TR-IND-2018-2020- Grant N. 814444 (2019-2022). Principal Investigator: Mª José Alonso (Partner)
- “Preclinical development of innovative mRNA/MVAvaccines against SARS-CoV2” (COVARNA), Instituto Salud Carlos III (2020). Principal Investigator: Mª José Alonso (Partner). Coordinator: Felipe García
D. Previous experience in collaborative research
- Collaboration with 35 EU institutions through the participation in 14 research projects and Networks in Nanomedicine, financed by the European Commission.
- Collaboration with MIT, Mass. Public Health through a project financed by the WHO in the area of nanovaccines (Project coordinator and PI)
- Collaboration with MIT, Duke University, MSU through a GCGH project financed by the “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation” in the area of nanovaccines (project Coordinator and PI)
- Collaboration with several US and Canadian Institutions, through a project financed by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
CONTACT
Phone: (34) 881815454
E-Mail: mariaj.alonso@usc.es
Mailing Address:
CIMUS Research Institute
Avda. de Barcelona s/n
Campus Vida s/n
15782, Santiago de Compostela