Zulema Vargas Osorio , PhD.

Zulema Vargas Osorio, PhD.

Research

Scientific background:

Dr. Zulema Vargas has more than 15 years of research experience, including cutting-edge research, technical and scientific writing and supervision of postgraduate and undergraduate students. She received her PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2016. She has been engaged in the field of nanomaterials, designing and developing novel multifunctional platforms for different scientific and technological applications. In biomedicine, she is focused on producing theranostic devices, drug delivery systems, contrast agents for MRI, fluorescent labels for cell tracking applications, scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration, etc.

She is the co-author of twenty articles, with an increasing level quality attending to the impact factor of some (Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, I.F. 5.876, J. Mat. Chem. B, I.F. 7.571, Nanomaterials, I.F. 5.719, Food Chemistry, I.F. 9.231, Environmental Pollution, I.F. 9.988 and J. Nanobiotechnology, I.F. 10.435), co-author of one patent with an International Publication number WO2019/162362 A1, and author of three scientific theses. She has been awarded with different prizes due to an outstanding scientific and academic trajectory: 3rd place of the Youth Prize of Mexico City; Summa Cum Laude Distinctions during her PhD and Master; “Alfonso Caso” Medal granted by UNAM Chancellor. Moreover, she has gained different contracts and fellowships in competitive calls. In 2017, she was granted with the distinction “Level 1 Researcher (SNI1)” by the National System of Researchers of the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT, Mexico). In February 2019 she joined the Biomaterials Department at FunGlass Centre. In 2021 she was recognized as a Level II Researcher granted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences, allowing her to supervise PhD thesis. She was invited to participate as Guest editor for a Special Issue in Bioengineering Journal (IF: 5.046). Finally, in 2021, she was appointed as Manager and main responsible for the Chemical Laboratory at FunGlass Centre, as well as Administrator of the Quantachrome instrument for BET “N₂ sorption” and the Atmospheric Plasma Treatment

Positions in International Projects:

(Feb 2019 – Current)

Position: Senior Researcher at Biomaterials Department
Project: FunGlass (Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass)
Financed by: European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (739566)

(Sep 2019 – Nov 2020)

Training period: Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany covered by the FunGlass project.
Supervisor: Aldo R. Boccaccini

(Oct 2016 – Jan 2019)

Position: Postdoc/Research Assistant Position PANA at Laboratory of Magnetism and Nanotechnology (NANOMAG), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain
Project: PANA (Promoting Active aging: functional Nanostructures for Alzheimer’s Disease at ultra-early stages)
Financed by: European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (686009)

https://nanomag.es/members/

https://panaproject.eu/consortium/universidade-de-santiago-de-compostela

(Jan 2015 – April 2016)

Position: Research stay (PhD) at NANOMAG, USC.
Project: Synthesis and characterization of SBA-15-type mesoporous ceramics for biomedical applications.
Supervisor: José Rivas
Financed by: Doctorate Fellowship (CONACyT CVU: 298097; Fellow: 227058)

(Jan 2010 – July 2010)

Position: Research stay (Master) at Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Spain.
Project: Bifunctionalized ordered mesoporous silica materials for controlled delivery systems of cephalexin: Application in bone regeneration technologies.
Supervisor: María Vallet Regí and Prof. Montserrat Colilla
Financed by: Excellence Master Fellowship (CONACyT CVU: 298097; Fellow: 227058)

Participation in other international projects:

(2022 – Current) APVV-SK-CN-21-0022: “Multifunctional bioactive coatings for Ti-and Zr-based dental implant”.
(2021 – Current) APVV-20-0322: “Nanostructured, functionally graded, and bioinspired 3D Ti-based implants”.
(2019 – Current) VEGA Project 1/0098/19: “Multi-layered bioglass structures for regenerative medicine prepared by tape casting and lamination”.
(Oct 2019 – Dec 2020) VEGA Project 1/0191/20: Bioresponse and degradation properties of novel bioactive materials with additional functionalities” – Deputy Coordinator
(2017 – 2018) European Union H2020 MADIA Project: “Magnetic Diagnostic Assay for neurodegenerative diseases ICT-03-2016 “SSI – Smart System Integration”.
(2017 – 2018) NANOeaters: Transfer and valorization of nanotechnologies to innovative small and medium sized companies (early adopters) of the Euroregion”.
(2017 – 2018) MODENA CTQ2016-79461-R: “Chemical and biochemical catalysis reactors ruled by nanosize Metal OxiDes, Enzyme Nanoparticles and Atomic clusters applied for the removal of emerging contaminants”. (2015 – 2016) CTQ2013-44762-R: “Enzyme-magnetic nanoparticle reactor for the advanced oxidation of micropollutants in wastewaters”.
(2017 – 2018) MYCONTROL: “NATURAL CONTAMINANTS CONTROL SYSTEMS IN CEREAL BASED PRODUCTS”, A collaborative project under the FEDER INNTERCONECTA Programme 2016 funded by CDTI and Technological Funds, supported by Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad.

National financed projects (Mexico):

(Aug 2012 – Jul 2016) PhD in Materials Science and Engineering: MSc Fellowship financed by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, Mexico)

(Feb 2009 – Jan 2011) Master in Materials Science and Engineering: MSc Fellowship financed by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, Mexico)

(2009-2010) DGAPA PAPIIT IN210815: “PLA Fibers for Biomedical Applications”.

(2008) DGAPA PAPIIT IN104008: “Bone Cements, Materials for Cellular Scaffolds and Drug Delivery”.

(2007-2008) Bachelor Thesis: CONACyT project with reference V43629-M “Synthesis and study of the antiprotozoal and anthelmintic activity of compounds derived from benzimidazole and hybrid molecules with nitrothiazole”.

(2005): DGAPA-PAPIIT Project “Synthesis and characterization of zero valent nanoparticles of the platinum group”.

Publications

Publication activity:

Publications in scientific journals:196
Citations: 261

2022

Zulema Vargas-Osorio*, Florian Ruther, Si Chen, Susanta Sengupta, Liliana Liverani, Martin Michálek, Dušan Galusek, Aldo R Boccaccini. Environmentally friendly fabrication of electrospun nanofibers made of polycaprolactone, chitosan and κ-carrageenan (PCL/CS/κ-C). Mater. 17 (2022) 045019; DOI:10.1088/1748-605X/ac6eaa; IF:4.103
Zulema Vargas-Osorio*, Artem Klotschan, Marcela Arango-Ospina, Yolanda Piñeiro, Liliana Liverani, José Rivas, Martin Michálek, Dušan Galusek and Aldo R. Boccaccini. Effect of glycerol and H₃PO₄ on the bioactivity and degradability of rod-like SBA-15 particles with active surface for bone tissue engineering applications. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 329 (2022) 111543. DOI:10.1016/j.micromeso.2021.111543; IF:5.876

2021

Jorge González-Rodríguez, María Gamallo, Julio J. Conde, Zulema Vargas-Osorio, Carlos Vázquez-Vázquez, Yolanda Piñeiro-Redondo, José Rivas, Gumersindo Feijoo, María Teresa Moreira. Exploiting the Potential of Supported Magnetic Nanomaterials as Fenton-Like Catalysts for Environmental Applications. Nanomaterials 2021, 11, 2902. DOI:10.3390/nano11112902; IF: 5.719
Rivas-Mundiña B., Vargas-Osorio Z., Yáñez-Vilar S., Riz M., Piñeiro Y., Pérez-Sayáns M. and Rivas J. Hybrid mesoporous nanostructured scaffolds as dielectric biosimilar restorative materials. Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering 2021, pp. 1-13, 2021. DOI: 10.3233/BME-201118; IF:1.300
Román Seco Gudiña, Susana Yáñez Vilar, Manuel González Gómez, Zulema Vargas Osorio, María de la Fuente, Yolanda Piñeiro Redondo, Rafael López, and José Rivas. Versatile Mesoporous Nanoparticles for Cell Applications. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 2021, Vol. 21, No. 5. doi:10.1166/jnn.2021.19054; IF: 1.354
Jorge González-Rodríguez, Lucía Fernández, Zulema Vargas-Osorio, Carlos Vázquez-Vázquez, Yolanda Piñeiro, José Rivas, Gumersindo Feijoo and María Teresa Moreira. Reusable Fe₃O₄/SBA-15 Nanocomposite as an Efficient Photo-Fenton Catalyst for the Removal of Sulfamethoxazole and Orange II. Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 533; DOI:10.3390/nano11020533; IF: 5.719

2020

Fernández, J. González-Rodríguez, M. Gamallo, Z. Vargas-Osorio, C. Vázquez-Vázquez, Y. Piñeiro, J. Rivas, G. Feijoo, M.T. Moreira. Iron oxide-mediated photo-Fenton catalysis in the inactivation of enteric bacteria present in wastewater effluents at neutral pH. Environmental Pollution 266 (2020) 115181. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115181; IF: 9.988
Jesús M. González-Jartín, Lisandra de Castro Alves, Amparo Alfonso, Y. Piñeiro, Susana Yáñez Vilar, Inés Rodríguez, Manuel González Gomez, Zulema Vargas Osorio, María J. Sainz, Mercedes R. Vieytes, J. Rivas, Luis M. Botana. Magnetic nanostructures for marine and freshwater toxins removal. Chemosphere 256 (2020) 127019. DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127019; IF: 8.943

2019

Zulema Vargas-Osorio, Andrés Da Silva-Candal, Yolanda Piñeiro, Ramón Iglesias -Rey, Tomas Sobrino, Francisco Campos, José Castillo and José Rivas. Multifunctional Superparamagnetic Stiff Nanoreservoirs for Blood Brain Barrier Applications. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 449; doi:10.3390/nano9030449; IF: 5.719
Zulema Vargas-Osorio, Asteria Luzardo-Álvarez, Yolanda Piñeiro, Carlos Vázquez -Vázquez, J. Luis Gómez-Amoza, José Blanco-Méndez, Francisco Otero-Espinar and José Rivas. Three-Dimensional Hybrid Mesoporous Scaffolds for Simvastatin Sustained Delivery with In Vitro Cell Compatibility. ACS Omega 2019, 4, 5496−5508; DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03676; IF: 4.132
Jesús M. González-Jartin, Lisandra de Castro Alves, Amparo Alfonso, Y. Piñeiro, Susana Yáñez Vilar, Manuel González Gómez, Zulema Vargas Osorio, María J. Sainz, Mercedes R. Vieytes, J. Rivas, Luis M. Botana. Detoxification agents based on magnetic nanostructured particles as a novel strategy for mycotoxin mitigation in food. Food Chemistry 294 (2019) 60–66. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.05.013; IF: 9.231

2018

Yolanda Moldes-Diz, María Gamallo, Gemma Eibes, Zulema Vargas, Carlos Vázquez -Vázquez, Gumersindo Feijoo, Juan Lema, Maite Moreira. Development of a superparamagnetic laccase nanobiocatalyst for the enzymatic biotransformation of xenobiotics. Environ. Eng., 2018, 144(3):04018007. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943- 7870.0001333; IF: 2.216

2017

Vargas-Osorio*, M.A. González-Gómez, Y. Piñeiro, C. Vázquez-Vázquez, C. Rodríguez-Abreu, M.A. López- Quintela and J. Rivas. Novel synthetic routes of large-pore magnetic mesoporous nanocomposites (SBA-15/Fe₃O₄) as potential multifunctional theranostic nanodevices. J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017, 5, 9395-9404. DOI: 10.1039/c7tb01963g; IF: 7.571
Andrés Da Silva-Candal, Bárbara Argibay, Ramón Iglesias -Rey, Zulema Vargas, Alba Vieites-Prado, Esteban López Arias, Emilio Rodríguez Castro, Iria López Dequidt, Manuel Rodríguez -Yáñez, Yolanda Piñeiro, Tomás Sobrino, Francisco Campos, José Rivas and José Castillo. Vectorized nanodelivery systems for ischemic stroke: a concept and a need. J Nanobiotechnol (2017). DOI: 10.1186/s12951-017-0264-7; IF: 10.435

2016

Vargas-Osorio, B. Argibay, Y. Piñeiro, C. Vázquez -Vázquez, M. A. López-Quintela, M. A. Álvarez-Pérez, T. Sobrino, F. Campos, J. Castillo and J. Rivas. Multicore magnetic Fe₃O₄@C beads with enhanced magnetic response for MRI in brain biomedical applications. IEEE transactions on Magnetics. Vol. 52, No. 7, 2016. DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2016.2529699; IF: 1.848
Piñeiro, Z. Vargas-Osorio, M. Bañobre-López, Y. Kolen’ko, M. A. López-Quintela and J. Rivas. Relevant parameters for magnetic hyperthermia in biological applications: agglomeration, concentration, viscosity. IEEE transactions on Magnetics. Vol. 52, No. 7, 2016. DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2016.2516645; IF: 1.848
Vargas-Osorio*, Y. Piñeiro, C. Vázquez-Vázquez, C. Rodríguez-Abreu, M. A. Álvarez-Pérez, M. A. López-Quintela and J. Rivas. Magnetic nanocomposites based on mesoporous silica for biomedical applications. International Journal of Nanotechnology. Vol. 13, No. 8, 2016. DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2016.079668; IF: 0.532
Zulema Vargas-Osorio, Osmar Alejandro Chanes-Cuevas, Adriana Pérez-Soria, Manuel García-Hipólito, Octavio Álvarez-Fregoso, and Marco Antonio Álvarez-Pérez. Physicochemical effects of amino or sulfur-functional groups onto SBA-15 sol-gel synthesized mesoporous ceramic material. Status Solidi C, 1–10 (2016). DOI 10.1002/pssc.201600099; IF: 0.810

2015

Yolanda Piñeiro, Zulema Vargas, José Rivas, and Manuel Arturo López-Quintela. Iron Oxide based Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia Strategies in Biological Applications. Inorg. Chem. 2015, 4495–4509. DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201500598

2014

Ortega-Zempoalteca, Y.Flores-Arias, G.Vázquez-Victorio, T.Gaudisson, S.Ammar, Z.Vargas-Osorio, U. Acevedo-Salas, and R. Valenzuela. The effects of spark plasma sintering consolidation on the ferromagnetic resonance spectra (FMR) of Ni–Zn ferrites. Status Solidi A 211, No. 5, 1062–1066 (2014). DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201300762

Presentations in Congresses

Oral Presentation, Processing and Properties of Advanced Ceramics and Glasses 2022. Multifunctional biopolymer-based hybrid scaffolds enriched with modified-SBA-15 mesoporous silica rods for bone and dental tissue engineering. Manor-House Mojmírovce, Slovakia, September 28 – 30.
Oral presentation, FunGlass School 2022. 3D bioactive composite scaffolds with high drug loading capacity for bone tissue engineering. September 26-28, in Smolenice, Slovakia
Invited Speaker, Ceramics 2022/97th DKG Annual Meeting. Glycerol-modified SBA-15 rods as bioactive and biodegradable platforms for the fabrication of multifunctional composite systems. Germany
Oral presentation, FunGlass School 2021. Bioactive and biodegradable rod-like SBA-15 particles as support matrices for multifunctional composite systems manufacturing. Osrblie, Slovakia October 10-13
Oral presentation, FunGlass School 2019/part. Magnetic Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites based on SBA-15/Fe₃O₄ as Multifunctional Nanoplatforms for Technological Applications. Čertov, Slovakia May 20-22, 2019
Invited talk, 2018 EMN Milan Meeting “Multifunctional mesoporous silica nanostructures for biomedical applications”. Milan (Italy).
Invited talk, 1^st Meeting of the Galician Nanomedicine Network 2017 “DRUG DELIVERY”. “Multifunctional magnetic nanostructures for drug delivery”. Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Work presentation, 2016 MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit. “Superparamagnetic biocompatible scaffold for bone tissue engineering”. Arizona (USA).
Porter presentation, 4^th Annual Symposium of Students associated to IIM-UNAM 2016. “Hybrid magnetic mesoporous nanocomposites for biomedical applications”. Mexico City (Mexico)
Work presentation, 13^thJoint MMM-Intermag Conference 2016. “Multicore magnetic Fe₃O₄@C beads with enhanced magnetic response for MRI in brain biomedical applications” and “Relevant parameters in magnetic hyperthermia for biological applications: agglomeration, concentration, viscosity”. San Diego, California (USA)
Poster presentation, Trends in Nanotechnology International Conference (TNT2015). “Magnetic nanocomposites based on mesoporous silica for biomedical applications”. Toulouse (France). Transportation
Poster presentation, Biobone Symposium 2015 “Bioceramics for Bone Repair”. “Magnetic hybrid nanocomposite based on SBA-15/Fe₃O₄ for bone regeneration technologies”. Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Poster presentation, XXVI National and International Congress of Postgraduate and Research in Dentistry 2014. “Synthesis of SBA-15 mesoporous materials for bone tissue engineering”. Cancun (Mexico)
Invited talk, 4^th Postgraduate Students Congress- UNAM 2014. “Mesoporous ceramics for tissue engineering applications”. Mexico City (Mexico).
Poster presentation, XXII INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS RESEARCH CONGRESS 2013 (IMRC). “Synthesis and Biocompatibility of SBA-15 Mesoporous Materials”. Cancun (México)

EUROPEAN PATENT (Date of receipt: February 22^nd, 2018 by Spanish Office of Patents and Brands)

BOTANA LÓPEZ, Mr. Luis Miguel; ALFONSO RANCAÑO, Ms. Amparo; GONZÁLEZ JARTÍN, Mr. Jesús María; SÁINZ OSÉS, Ms. María Jesús; RODRÍGUEZ FILGUEIRAS, Ms. Inés; RIVAS REY, Mr. José; PIÑEIRO REDONDO, Ms. Yolanda; YÁÑEZ VILAR, Ms. Susana; VARGAS OSORIO, Ms. Zulema; GONZÁLEZ GÓMEZ, Mr. Manuel Antonio; DE CASTRO ALVES, Ms. Lisandra. “METHOD FOR DETOXIFICATION OF FOOD, FEED AND WATER CONTAMINATED WITH NATURAL TOXINS”. Reference P14946EP00. Spain.

Teaching

Study part: Profile subjects:

Inorganic technologies and materials II

Modules:

Nanomaterials for biomedical applications, Sol-gel and Surface modification of nanoparticles

Scientific part:

Supervisor of PhD. students

Experimental work I-IX, Publication activity I and II, Active participation in a conference I and II

Responsible for the trainings:

Quantachrome instrument for BET “N2 sorption”
Atmospheric Plasma Treatment

Education:

PhD in Materials Science and Engineering

Dissertation Thesis: “Synthesis and characterization of SBA-15-type mesoporous ceramics for biomedical applications”

Ph.D. Degree: September 2016

University: National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)/ Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain

Supervisors: Prof. Marco Antonio Álvarez-Pérez (Tissue Bioengineering Lab., Faculty of Odontology, UNAM) and Prof. José Rivas (Laboratory of Magnetism and Nanotechnology – NANOMAG, USC)

Master in Materials Science and Engineering (CGPA 9.75 on 10)

Master Thesis: “Bifunctionalized ordered mesoporous silica materials for controlled delivery systems of cephalexin: Application in bone regeneration technologies”

Master’s Degree: April 2011

University: National Autonomous University of Mexico/ Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Spain

Supervisors: Prof. María Cristina Piña-Barba (Biomaterials Lab, Materials Research Institute, UNAM)/ Prof. María Vallet Regí and Prof. Montserrat Colilla (Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, UCM)

Chemistry (CGPA 9.16 on 10)

Thesis Project: “Synthesis of a benzimidazole carboxamide designed by docking as a possible inactivating agent of triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) of Entamoeba histolytica”. 103 pp.

Bachelor’s Degree: 27^th February 2009

University: National Autonomous University of Mexico

Supervisors: Prof. Rafael Castillo-Bocanegra/Prof. María Alicia Hernández-Campos (Biochemistry and Pharmacy Building, Faculty of Chemistry, UNAM)

Awards, scholarships and research stays:

Distinction as Level II Researcher granted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) in
Distinction as Level 1 Researcher – SNI1 granted by the National System of Researchers of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, Mexico) (2017).
Summa Cum Laude for an outstanding academic career, candidate for “Alfonso Caso” Medal (2016).
Doctorate Fellowship financed by CONACyT; Number of the Fellow: 227058 (Aug 2012 – Jul 2016).
“Alfonso Caso” Medal granted by UNAM Chancellor for being the Best Master Student of the Postgraduate Program(2013).
3^rd place of the Youth Prize of Mexico City granted by Governor of Mexico City and the Youth Institute, in the field of academic, scientific and professional activities (2011).
Summa Cum Laude for an outstanding academic career (2011).
Prize for the Best Master Thesis in Materials Science and Engineering (2011).
Master of Science Fellowship financed by CONACyT; Number of the Fellow: 227058 (Feb 2009 – Jan 2011).
Scholarship financed by PAPIIT Project (IN104008) (2008).
R&D Internship at the Research and Development Laboratory of Fermic S.A. of C.V. (Italian Company) (2008).
Scholarship financed by CONACyT project with reference V43629-M (2008-2007).
Lead Auditor in Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2000 by EQA Company (Official Certifying Agency) (2007).
Social Service at National Institute of Psychiatry in the Molecular Neurobiology and Neurochemistry of Addictions Laboratory (2006 – 2007).
Scholarship financed by DGAPA-PAPIIT Project (2005).

Other activities:

Reviewer (2018): Several indexed MDPI Open Access Journals (Publons) such as Applied Sciences, Nanomaterials, Materials, Polymers, Catalysts, Magnetochemistry.
Reviewer (2019): Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology (Elsevier).