Dr. Alejandro Garrido-Maestu obtained his Diploma in Biology in 2006 and a Master's degree in Methodologies and Applications in Life Sciences in 2010 from the University of Vigo, where he also completed his Ph.D. in 2013. He began his postdoctoral training at the Emerging Pathogens Institute, concentrating on the synthesis and evaluation of chitosan nanoparticles for controlling E. coli O157 in cattle. His research interests focus on developing and applying molecular methods for the rapid detection and quantification of microbial pathogens, supported by extensive expertise in sample preparation and nucleic acid extraction.