ALBERTO BAÑOS ARJONA, PhD is a microbiologist and biotechnology researcher with more than 25 years of experience in the agri-food sector, specializing in food safety, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and the development of Allium-derived phytogenic compounds for animal nutrition and food preservation. He holds a PhD in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Granada and currently works at the Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC) within the “Nutrition, Intestinal Health and Food Safety” research group. He has been Scientific Director and Microbiology Director at DMC Research Center, leading strategic R&D programs focused on natural antimicrobials, functional ingredients, and sustainable solutions for animal health and food safety. Since 2013, he has been affiliated with the BIO160 research group at the University of Granada, where he developed research on the functional characterization of LAB, antimicrobial peptides, and bioactive metabolites with applications as probiotics and biocontrol agents. He has participated in more than 20 national and international collaborative projects funded through highly competitive programs such as Horizon 2020, FP7, PRIMA, EUROTRANSBIO, FEDER, and CDTI initiatives, including coordination responsibilities in international consortia. Dr. Baños is co-author of over 70 indexed scientific publications (mostly Q1), four patents, and more than 70 international conference contributions. His work spans from fundament