elegodi

User profile

Elena

Gómez-Díaz

Area of expertise, interest, main activities...:

life sciences, parasitism, epigenetics, malaria

About you (please use English):

I am leading a Lab on epigenetics and genomics of malaria in mosquitoes at the Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) - My research focuses on malaria, one of the most devastating diseases that is responsible for more than 500,000 deaths a year. I am interested in understanding how epigenetics modulates the adaptations of the malaria-causing parasites to their mosquito and vertebrate hosts, trying to identify their Achilles heel. - I develop my projects in Africa because to battle malaria it is essential to investigate with natural parasites and mosquitoes in malaria endemic areas. Moreover, I've always been an Africa lover. The first day I stepped on it I strongly felt the need to go back and do something that could one day have a transforming impact, even if very tiny. -As a researcher I have worked in France, USA and Spain. Since 2016, I lead a research group at the CSIC (https://www.ipb.csic.es). I have published more than 40 scientific articles in impact journals like Nucleic Acids Research, PNAS, Trends in Cell Biology or PLoS Pathogens. I have supervised 3 PhDs, 5 masters and several undergraduates.I have obtained research grants and fellowships from highly competitive calls: BBVA Leonardo, 2 Marie Curie fellowships from the European Commission, Juan de la Cierva and Ramón y Cajal contracts. - Founder and coordinator of “Women In Malaria" (@womeninmalaria, https://womeninmalaria.weebly.com). I fight to break glass ceilings, to promote fully access and equal participation of women in science, to give women voice so we serve as role models for other women. I also participate in several women in STEM initiatives like "11 de Febrero". -Scientific communicator at national and international level about everything that I am passionate about: parasites, malaria, epigenetics or women and science. I am also local coordinator of Pint Of Science. Contact and CV check lab website at https://gomezdiazlab.wordpress.com

Scientific discipline:

Medical and health sciences, Health sciences

Stakeholder group:

Science stakeholders, Scientists & Researcher, Gender equality stakeholders, Gender networks (women’s, men's, sexuality,...), Women scientists’ organizations, Gender in science offices and committees