Lucrecia Acosta Soto

Biography

Lucrecia Acosta holds a degree in Biology from the University of Murcia, an International Master in Tropical Parasitic Diseases from the University of Valencia, an Official Master in Public Health from the University Miguel Hernández of Elche (UMH), a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Biotechnology and Biomedicine from the University of Alicante and a PhD in Public Health with International Mention from the University Miguel Hernández of Elche. In addition, she to her academic achievements, she is a university expert in educational technology and technological innovation in education at UMH.
She is currently a lecturer in Area of Parasitology and the director of the master's degree in "Development Cooperation" at the UMH. In this role, she is responsible for the subjects of Parasitology and Clinical Analysis II of the degree of Pharmacy and for the module "Diseases in Developing Countries" and the Practices I and II subjects of the Master of Development Cooperation.
She also serves as a guest lecturer for two master's programmes at the Master's Degree in Tropical Parasitic Diseases at the Valencia University and the Master's Degree in Public Health and Communicable Diseases at the National University of Misiones, Argentina. Her contributions to education have been recognised with several prestigious awards for teaching innovation, including the development of e-learning tools in parasitology. The Award for Research-Engaged Teaching 2020/2021 was awarded by De Monfort University, UK; the Leicestershire Live Innovation Awards 2021 recognised her work in the Innovation in Education and Training category, and the Award for Research-Engaged Teaching 2020 was awarded by De Monfort University, UK.
As a researcher, she has varied interests ranging from diagnosis to epidemiology of different infectious diseases: Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, geohelminths, cysticercosis, HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis and leprosy. These interests have led her to participate in numerous cooperation and research projects together with other prestigious institutions, including: University College of London (London); Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" (Cuba); "WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmania" National Microbiology Center (ISCIII), Tropical Diseases Research Center of the University of Salamanca (CIETUS); Cell Bank of Threatened Fauna, Institute of Bioengineering (UMH); Soil and Applied Biology Center of Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), and the University of Valencia.
Until 2017, she held responsibility for Molecular Diagnostics and Research at Sanatorio Fontilles (Leprosy Reference Center in Spain), and she currently serves as the institution's Scientific Advisor. In addition to this role, she participates as scientific advisor and representative of the ANESVAD Foundation in the Leprosy Research Initiative.