Labroots’ virtual events are excellent ways to connect with great people and collaborate on research within your field. These events have attendees from around the world who can promote their research for free with a virtual poster. At this year’s Microbiology Week Virtual Event (now available to view On-Demand), Labroots featured an exceptional study involving the environmental resistance and medical indications regarding the fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus). This distinctive research was conducted by Laura Alguacil Cuéllar, who is a PhD student at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Carlos III Health Institute).
Cuéllar’s poster analyzed air samples across two locations (urban and semiurban) within Madrid-Spain to ascertain the role of how environmental conditions contribute to antifungal resistance, specifically regarding filamentous fungi and A. fumigatus, the latter of which was designated as part of the critical group within the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Fungal Priority Pathogens list in 2022. Annual seasonal variations and environmental conditions were examined for filamentous fungi, while environmental isolates of A. fumigatus were analyzed for antifungal resistance.
Cuéllar recently told Labroots the most meaningful results were discovering a public health risk associated with finding strains of resistant fungi within the air samples, which she says emphasizes the ONE Health approach that focuses on the connection between the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. She notes how this research could contribute to the microbiology scientific community at large to focus on environmental observations and antimicrobial resistance.
Cuéllar tells Labroots, “These findings align with ongoing themes in microbiology related to the evolution of resistance, the impact of environmental factors on microbial populations, and the necessity for robust surveillance and control strategies to mitigate the spread of resistant pathogens. Additionally, the inclusion of A. fumigatus in the WHO’s list of priority fungal pathogens highlights the global importance of addressing fungal resistance.”
To follow Laura Alguacil Cuéllar’s research and career, and to conner with her, check out her LinkedIn page, her director’s LinkedIn page, and her Mycology Reference and Research Laboratory at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.
