Alba Cecilia Ruiz-Gaitán is a microbiologist in the Clinical Microbiology Service of the Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe in Valencia through the Juan Rodés Contract and a researcher at the La Fe Health Research Institute. She received a master's degree in infections in critically ill patients and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Valencia in 2017 and 2020, respectively. She earned the Cum Laude Mention and Extraordinary Doctorate Award in 2021. In addition, she received a Master of Public Health from the International University of Valencia, a Medicinedocto from Quindio's University in 2002, an M.Sc. in Tropical Medicine from the University of La Laguna in 2007, and a Master in Infectious Diseases from CEU Cardenal Herrera University in 2017. Her research interests include the study of C. auris cell wall proteins for diagnostic purposes and virulence studies in the Galleria Mellonella in vivo model. In the last 5 years, she has been a beneficiary of research grants at the national level. She has participated in many communications at national and international congresses and has been an invited speaker.
Javier Pemán is Head of Section and Head of the Mycology Unit of the Clinical Microbiology Department at Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe in Valencia, Spain; President of the Spanish Association of Mycology; Associate Professor at the Medical School at the University of Valencia; and President of the Micellium Foundation for the Development and Spreading of Scientific Knowledge. His professional activity focuses on the field of medical mycology, specifically in the epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of invasive fungal diseases. He is the organizer and professor of the Annual Theoretical–Practical Course on Antifungal Susceptibility, the Annual Infectious Disease Classroom for Resident Physicians, and the Practical Course on Identification of Filamentous Fungi. He has been president of the organizing committee of the VI Spanish National Congress of Mycology and of the 5th Trends in Medical Mycology (TIMM). He is currently the leader of the Severe Infection Research Group at the Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe and is the principal investigator in several multicenter research projects.
