Manuel Martínez Bueno completed a PhD in Biology in 1991 under the supervision of Prof. E. Valdivia and M. Maqueda at the University of Granada (UGR). The PhD thesis was also awarded with the “Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado UGR”. After a postdoctoral stay at The Center for Protein Engineering (Centre d'Ingéniérie des Protéines, CIP) of the University of Liège, Belgium (Prof. J. Coyette, 1993-1994), he returned to UGR as Postdoctoral Research Associate (1995-1998) and Assistant Professor (1998-2000). He was promoted to Associate Professor (2000-2010) and, since 2010, he is Full Professor at the Department of Microbiology (UGR).
His research is focused, on one hand, on the identification and characterization of different types of microbial growth inhibitors produced by bacteria, both specific (e.g. bacteriocins) and nonspecific (e.g. acids, and, on the other hand, on the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in foods and the bacterial biodiversity of mutualistic bacteria in birds. He is an expert on molecular techniques, purification and biochemical characterization of proteins and application of food preservatives. He has published more than 120 articles, received nearly 5000 citations, led 8 doctoral theses, has being awarded with more than 20 grants on research and development, signed a number of technology transfer projects with companies, and subscribe two research patents.
Currently he is interested in the study of the genetic determinants responsible for bacteriocins produced by Enterococcus sp.; Purification and biochemical characterization of antagonistic molecules produced by Enterococcus sp. and various families of amebicines and fungicides produced by Bacillus licheniformis; Biological activity of antagonistic molecules; Biotechnological studies on the use of antimicrobial peptides as food preservatives; Biodiversity of LAB in foods (cheeses) and clinical samples; Microbial biodiversity associated with birds; Applications of antimicrobial peptides in the treatment of skin infections.
Manuel Martínez Bueno is the research leader of the group BIO160 (https://bio160.ugr.es/datos_inicio/) since 2007 and director of Section of Microbiology Faculty of Sciences (Department of Microbiology University of Granada) since 2009 and master coordinator in the Master program “Máster de Biotecnología” (Master in Biotechnology), University of Granada since 2011 (2011-2019). He is also member of the Member of the Academic Commission in the Master program “Máster Oficial de Investigación y Avances en Microbiología” (Research and Advances in Microbiology, University of Granada) since 2009 and member of the Academic Commission in the Doctorate program “Biología Fundamental y de Sistemas” (Fundamental and Systemic Biology, University of Granada) since 2011. Member of the Ethics Commission regarding the GMO in the University of Granada since 2010.