UTSA’s Lopez-Ribot recognized for research on fungal infections

Other areas of emphasis in Lopez-Ribot's research include the pathogenesis and biofilms unique to C. albicans, genomics and proteomics, cell wall and adhesion, antifungal drug resistance, development of diagnostic techniques for candidiasis, and high throughput screening for antifungal drug discovery.

In addition to his research, Lopez-Ribot is dedicated to his role as a mentor for doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty.

"I try to always provide personalized guidance that transcends academic instruction," said Lopez-Ribot. "I want to instill in my students a profound sense of purpose and commitment to advancing the understanding and treatment of fungal infections."

Lopez-Ribot's mentees have emerged as leaders and innovators and have made transformative contributions to the field of medical mycology and beyond.

"For me personally, being elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science is a profound honor that signifies the culmination of over 35 years of dedicated scientific inquiry and discovery in the field of medical mycology and serves as a powerful impetus to further our studies and research in this crucial field," Lopez-Ribot said.

This latest announcement marks the third consecutive year UTSA faculty have been elected AAAS fellows. James Chambers (molecular microbiology and immunology), Aimin Liu (chemistry) and Angela Speck(physics a Astronomy) were elected in 2022 while Audrey Lamb (chemistry) and Anthony Chronopoulos(computer science) became AAAS fellows in 2023. Other fellows have included Floyd L. Wormley Jr., who was also recognized for his advancements in medical mycology research in 2019.