Exploration and Valorization of Natural Resources from Arid Zones

This new book analyzes the exploration and sustainable valorization of natural resources from the arid zones, putting special emphasis on the challenges that the industry faces in an era of sustainable development and ecological conservation programs.

The volume describes the geographic and climatic characteristics as well as the natural resources from arid zones, divided into three main groups: a) microbiological resources as biotechnological tools and change agents to produce and/or obtain compounds with industrial or medicinal applications; b) plants as an important source of principal compounds or subproducts produced by natural adaptation to the extreme environmental conditions; and c) animal resources, which includes insects, animal residues, products or subproducts derived from animal sources, as well as poisons.

The authors focus on the processes or bioprocesses used in the valorization and transformation of these three main groups for research purposes as well as for biotechnological processing to obtain important compounds for use in various industries.

The information provided in this volume, Exploration and Valorization of Natural Resources from Arid Zones, can be used as reference for investigation, training, and education, and also as main tool in under- and postgraduate university education on the sustainable uses of resources from arid zones.

Cristóbal Noé Aguilar, PhD, is Director of Research and Postgraduate Programs at the Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila, Mexico. Dr. Aguilar has published more than 530 papers in indexed journals and 550 contributions in scientific meetings. He has also edited more than 30 books. He has been awarded several prizes and awards, the most important of which are the National Prize of Research (2010) from the Mexican Academy of Sciences; the Prize CCC-2008 from the Mexican Society of Biotechnology and Bioengineering; National Prize AgroBio-2005; and the Mexican Prize in Food Science and Technology. In 2019, he received the Outstanding Research Award from the International Association of Bioprocessing. Dr. Aguilar is a member of the Mexican Academy of Science, the Central Council of the International Bioprocessing Association, the Mexican Academy of Sciences, the Mexican Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and the Mexican Association for Food Science and Biotechnology. He has developed more than 41 research projects, including 25 international exchange projects.

Norma Paola Meléndez-Renteria, PhD, is a full-time professor at the Biodiversity and Ecology of the Coahuila State Conservations and Research Center at Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico, for the last two years. She graduated in chemistry, bacteriology, and parasitology from the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Mexico; her MSc and PhD in Food Science and Technology were earned at the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico. She had a stay working in thermophilic enzyme production at Vigo University, Vigo, Spain, and on the protective effect of oregano fermented wastes on Lactobacillus spp. at Foggia University, Italy. She has worked with food safety/quality certifications, food industrialization, applied microbiology, and science communication. Dr. Melendez-Renteria has published 13 papers in indexed journals and three book chapters, holds one patent, and has made various contributions at scientific meetings. She is a member of the International Bioprocessing Association. Finally, she has been a thesis advisor of students pursuing their PhD, MSc, and BSc degrees. She teaches courses in the he area of applied microbiology, food law and regulations, and science communication.

Karen Nathiely Ramirez-Guzman, PhD, has been full-time professor at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico, for the last three years. She graduated from Autonomous University of Coahuila in Pharmaceutica Chemistry and earned her master’s and doctorate in Food Science and Technology as well as a doctorate in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biotechnology at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. She had stays in France, Colombia, and Brazil on topics related to the isolation of microorganisms, the production of metabolites of industrial interest, and biological control agents. Prof. Ramirez-Guzman has been a level C member of the S.N.I. (Mexican Research System) since 2021. She has also published 11 articles in indexed journals, 13 book chapters, and has made various contributions to national and international scientific meetings, Finally, she has been a thesis advisor to several doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s students. Dr. Ramirez-Guzman teaches courses in microbiology, food safety, biotechnology, and research methodology.