Dr. Mauricio Hernandez | Molecular Ecology | Young Scientist Award

Professor at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, Honduras

Delmer Mauricio Hernández Espinal 🇭🇳 is a molecular ecologist and geologist passionate about understanding environmental and anthropogenic influences on natural ecosystems 🌱🌍. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences with a focus on Molecular Ecology 🧬 from the Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-UNAM 🇲🇽. His research spans microbial ecology, soil geology, environmental pollution, and bioinformatics 🔬💻. With expertise in fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and statistical modeling 📊, he integrates molecular techniques to study micro- and macro-organisms. Currently, he is a professor and researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH) 🎓, contributing to ecological and geological sciences worldwide.

Professional Profile

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Education & Experience

📚 Education:

• 🎓 PhD in Biological Sciences (2019-2023) – Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala & UNAM 🇲🇽
• 🌍 Master in Geology: Techniques and Applications (2015-2017) – Universidad de Zaragoza 🇪🇸
• 🦎 Bachelor in Biology with an Emphasis in Aquatic Sciences (2010-2015) – UNAH 🇭🇳
• ⚙️ Industrial Technical Baccalaureate (2006-2008) – Instituto Técnico Honduras 🇭🇳

💼 Experience:

• 🧑‍🏫 Professor & Researcher – Dept. of Cellular Biology & Genetics, UNAH (Present) 🎓
• 🔬 Genetics Research Center – UNAH (Feb-Jun 2024) 🧬
• 🌎 Manager for Central America – Earth Hologenome Initiative (2020-Present) 🌿
• 🧪 Research Collaborator – B10K Bird Genome Project, University of Copenhagen (2021-Present) 🦜
• 🌿 Environmental Researcher – Various universities & research institutions in Honduras, Mexico, and Denmark

Professional Development

Mauricio Hernández has continuously expanded his expertise through specialized training and international research experiences 🌍🔬. He has completed research stays at the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics (University of Copenhagen 🇩🇰) and CINVESTAV (Mexico 🇲🇽), focusing on metagenomics and microbial ecology 🦠. His skills include DNA extraction, bioinformatics, and ecological data modeling 📊. He has also attended workshops on geomorphology, geophysics, and biodiversity conservation 🌿🦎. Proficient in R, QGIS, and molecular analysis tools 🖥️, he actively integrates computational and statistical techniques into his research. His dedication to scientific writing and publishing ensures impactful contributions to international journals 📄.

Research Focus

Mauricio Hernández’s research revolves around Molecular Ecology, Soil Geology, and Environmental Microbiology 🌱🔬. He investigates microbial communities in lizards 🦎, geochemical pollution in soils 🌍, and hologenomic interactions between hosts and their microbiomes 🧬. His work extends to environmental conservation, biostatistics, and genomic sequencing 📊. By integrating metagenomics, bioinformatics, and evolutionary biology, he aims to uncover the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms shaping biodiversity 🌿🌏. His projects span multiple regions, including Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru, contributing to global scientific efforts in hologenomics and environmental sciences 🌎🔍.

Awards & Honors

🏅 Research Grants & Scholarships:

• 🎓 Doctoral Scholarship – CONAHCYT, Mexico 🇲🇽 (2019-2023)
• 🇩🇰 Research Fellowship – Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, University of Copenhagen (2022)
• 🇲🇽 Research Stay Scholarship – CINVESTAV, Mexico (2020)
• 🇪🇸 Master’s Scholarship – Banco Santander, Spain (2015-2017)
• 🇭🇳 Undergraduate Scholarship – UNAH, Honduras (2010-2015)

📜 Publications & Recognitions:

• 🏆 Published 10+ papers in high-impact journals like Molecular Ecology, Integrative Zoology, and Environmental Pollution
• 🎤 Speaker at international conferences on molecular ecology, metagenomics, and environmental pollution
• 🏅 Lead scientist in Central America for the Earth Hologenome Initiative 🌎

Publication Top Notes

1. Spatial dynamics of lindane concentration in a soil-plant system at the Bailín landfill site (Sabiñánigo, Huesca, Spain)

   • Journal: Environmental Pollution
   • Publication Date: December 2024
   • DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125198
   • Summary: This study investigates the distribution of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers in soil and vegetation around the Bailín landfill. The findings indicate significant variability in HCH concentrations, with surface soil samples ranging from less than 1 μg/kg to 780 μg/kg. The research also highlights that the spatial distribution of contamination is primarily near the old and secure landfills, suggesting that the remediation process significantly influenced soil pollution levels.

2. The archaeal and bacterial community structure in composted cow manures is defined by the original populations: a shotgun metagenomic approach

   • Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology
   • Publication Date: November 1, 2024
   • DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1425548
   • Summary: This research employs shotgun metagenomics to analyze the microbial communities in composted cow manure. The study reveals that the composition of archaeal and bacterial communities in the compost is largely influenced by the original microbial populations present in the raw manure.

3. A global initiative for ecological and evolutionary hologenomics

   • Journal: Trends in Ecology & Evolution
   • Publication Date: July 2024
   • DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.03.005
   • Summary: This article discusses a worldwide initiative aimed at integrating ecological and evolutionary studies through the lens of hologenomics, emphasizing the importance of considering host-microbe interactions in ecological and evolutionary research.

4. Seasonal dietary changes relate to gut microbiota composition depending on the host species but do not correlate with gut microbiota diversity in arthropod-eating lizards

   • Journal: Molecular Ecology
   • Publication Date: July 2024
   • DOI: 10.1111/mec.17426
   • Summary: This study examines how seasonal dietary variations affect the gut microbiota composition in arthropod-eating lizards. The findings suggest that while the composition of gut microbiota changes with diet and host species, these changes do not significantly impact the overall diversity of the gut microbiota.

5. Contrasting recovery of metagenome-assembled genomes and derived microbial communities from lizard fecal and cloacal samples

   • Publication Date: June 17, 2024
   • DOI: 10.22541/au.171858712.21774323/v1
   • Summary: This preprint investigates the differences in recovering metagenome-assembled genomes and microbial communities from lizard fecal and cloacal samples, highlighting the variability in microbial composition based on sample type.