Editorial staff - HONORIS CAUSA SANTIAGO MAS-COMA

Professor, Human Parasitology Unit, Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

Born: 7-6-1949

- Director and Chairman
- President Elect of the International Federation of Tropical Medicine (IFTM)
- Expert Member of the World Health Organization (WHO/OMS)
- Member of the International Order of Merit (IOM)
- Past-President of the European Federation of Parasitologists (EFP)
- Coordinator of the EFP Parasitic Disease Threat Quick Response Committee
- Past-President of the Spanish Society of Parasitology (SEP)
- Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Fascioliasis and Its Snail Vectors
- Director of the FAO-United Nations Reference Centre for Parasitology
- Director of the International Master’s Course on Tropical Parasitic Diseases
- Human Parasitology Unit, Departamento de Parasitologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia    

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Professor of Parasitology (tenure chairman position) at the University of Valencia since 1981.
Expert Member of the World Health Organization and its WHO-STAG Committee (WHO Headquarters, Geneva) since 2001, currently holds the position of Director of the Human Parasitology Unit of the Valencia University, as well as the positions of Director of the “WHO Collaborating Centre on Fascioliasis and Its Snail Vectors” (WHO Headquarters, Geneva) and the “FAO-United Nations Reference Centre for Parasitology” (FAO Headquarters, Rome), whose designations as centers achieved in 2011 and 2013, respectively. His worth noting international positions include President-Elect and subsequent President of the International Federation of Tropical Medicine (2012-2020), President of the European Federation of Parasitologists (EFP) (2004-2012), Member of the Executive Board of the EFP (1992-2000), Member of the Executive Board of the World Federation of Parasitology (WFP) (2006-2014), General Coordinator of the Parasitic Disease Threat Quick Response Committee of the EFP (2012-act.), Adviser of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA Headquarters, Vienna) (2005-act.), Member of the Advisory Group on Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (WHO, Headquarters, Geneva) (2011-act.) and Member of the Board of the Latin American Federation of Parasitology (FLAP) (2001-act.), positions all crucial to carry out the global research lines of the centres he leads and facilitated by his dominance of English, French, German and Spanish languages at all levels. His extensive research career has focused primarily on helminth parasites and parasitic diseases, highlighting the public health interest but also in veterinary medicine. The objectives of his studies have focused and continue focusing on parasitic diseases, especially zoonotic and vector-borne diseases as fascioliasis and Chagas disease, but also on malaria, without forgetting several initial years of basic research in ecology and evolution in the model of helminths/small mammals. The multidisciplinary contributions on human fascioliasis should be highlighted because their impact led WHO to include this disease within the priorities for humanity. As results of such research his participation in numerous national and international projects should be mentioned, mostly as principal investigator, a total of 366 publications (h index = 38; 4185 citations - SCOPUS February 2015 - ranked No. 1 among best national researchers by h factor in the discipline of Parasitology in Spain and No. 2 by h factor among best researchers of all health science specialities in Valencia), including articles in speciality journals, the majority indexed, books, encyclopediae and similar, and over 770 communications presented in congresses, meetings and other national and international forums, including numerous invited keynote speaker at events of the highest level, without forgetting numerous additional lectures given in centres throughout the world. Member of countless international committees, of numerous centres and evaluation agencies of different countries, scientific journals and publishers. The enormous breadth of his international contacts is worth noting, including a international collaborative network in fascioliasis at worldwide level, and also in Chagas disease throughout Latin America. The importance of his support for international cooperation with developing countries, highlighting the control of parasitic diseases, conforms the background of his recognition as: Chamlong-Tranakchit Harinasuta Lecturer (Bangkok 2003); Doctor Honoris Causa (Cluj 2006); Prize "Important" of the city of Valencia (2008); “Crotalus Scolaris” (maximum mention of recognition) for his fascioliasis research trajectory (Mexico 2008); Recognition as "Elite Researcher in Health Sciences" Award (Valencia 2010); Recognition of "Long Achievement in Research Award" (Valencia 2011). Other awards received were: Extraordinary Price in Pharmacy Degree, Pharmacy Faculty, University of Barcelona (1974); Price of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy, Barcelona (1976); Silver Medal, Pharmacy Faculty, University of Barcelona (1982); "First Price on Teaching Activities" for the organization of the famous "International Master's course on Tropical Parasitic Diseases" (Valencia, 1997). Medals for the recognition of his scientific contributions also included: "Medaille du Centenaire du Laboratoire Arago" de la Univ. P.M. Curie de Paris VI (1989); Medal of the European Federation of Parasitologists (Valencia EMOP 2004); Medaille d’Argent, Société Française de Parasitologie (Paris 2008); Medal of the European Federation of Parasitologists (Cluj EMOP 2012).

Academic Titles: Licentiate in Biological Sciences by the University of Barcelona (obtained: 1971/72); Licentiate in Pharmacy by the University of Barcelona (1972/73); Extraordinary Pharmacy Licentiate Award given by the University of Barcelona (1974); PhD in Pharmacy by the University of Barcelona (1976, maximum qualification); Pharmacist Specialist in Microbiology and Parasitology (1986).

Languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Catalan (correctly at all levels); Italian and Portuguese (midlevel for reading and speech understanding).

Research Lines: Helminthology; helminths of vertebrates, especially mammals; life cycles of digeneans; ecology of helminths from vertebrates, especially under geographical isolation conditions (insularity); parasite-host relationships; evolution of helminths and helminthfaunas parasitizing vertebrates; in vitro culture of digenean trematodes; ectoparasites of small mammals; Fasciola, lymnaeid snail vectors and human and animal fascioliasis; schistosomiasis; human protozooses, helminthiases and artropodiases; human food-borne trematodiases; vectors of parasitic diseases, mainly Chagas disease, malaria and leishmaniasis.

Research Techniques and Specialities: Trematodology, Cestodology, Nematodology and Acanthocephalogy: techniques and methods for the study of morphology, anatomy, systematics, taxonomy, faunistics, zoogeography, histology, biology, ecology, epidemiology, evolution, phylogeny, pathology, ultrastructure, in vitro culture, strain keeping in laboratory conditions, molecular biology, DNA analyses; Protozoology and Artropodology: methods and techniques for diagnosis; medical Malacology.

International Collaborations in Research and Health: Director and Coordinator of research and health initiatives in the following countries: A) Europa: Spain, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia. B) Africa: Marocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Tanzania, Angola, Madagascar, South Africa. C Asia: Russia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Guam. D) Americas: USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina.

Direction of Research Theses: Director of theses of PhD - doctors' (42, three of them meriting the Doctorate Extraordinary Award for the respective students), graduates (47) and Master's theses (31) in Parasitology, presented in Faculties of Pharmacy, Biology and Medicine of the Universities of Valencia and Barcelona, as well as research studies of foreign students (18).

Referee in Research Project Evaluation in International and National Committees: Referee/member in different international and national scientific Committees, Councils, Institutions and Foundations: North Atlantic Treaty Organization – NATO (NATO Collaborative Research Grants Programme, Scientific and Environmental Affairs Division); Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Vienna, Austria); International Foundation for Science - IFS (Stockholm, Sweden); The Health Research Board, Medical and Health Services Research Division (Dublin, Ireland); The Netherlands Foundation for Advancement of Tropical Research - NWO/WOTRO (The Hague. The Netherlands); Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Prospectiva – ANEP (Madrid, Spain); Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias – FIS, Ministerio de Sanidad (Madrid, Spain); Danish Council for Development Research, Department of Policy, Planning and Research, Royal Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Copenhagen, Denmark); Health Committee of the International Cooperation Program, Generalitat Valencia (Valencian Government); Scientific Board of the Centre International de Recherche-Developpement sur l'Elevage en Zone Subhumide – CIRDES (Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso); Evaluation Committees of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – CNRS (Paris, France); Evaluation juries of professor positions in the King Abdulaziz University, Ministry of Higher Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2009-); Third World Academy of Sciences (Trieste, Italy); Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad - University Development Cooperation (VLIR-UOS), University Cooperation for Development (Brussels, Belgium); Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) (Berne, Switzerland); Florida International University's Advanced Technological Center for Elimination of Poverty-Related Emerging & Neglected Diseases (ATEND) (Miami, Florida, USA); Welcome Trust (London, UK). Selected member of the evaluation juries of numerous PhD Theses in Spain, France, Morocco, Australia, and Pakistan.

Editor of Scientific Journals: Editor-in-Chief of the international journal "Research and Reviews in Parasitology" (1991-2000). Editor of the international journal "Infection, Genetics and Evolution" (Elsevier) (2001-2007).

Author, Editor and/or Director of Books: of 20 books published and edited in different European countries.

Papers published: author or coauthor of over 1000 papers contributed, from 1974 to 2014, to professional journals, textbooks and encyclopaediae, and to professional congresses and conferences, in many countries.

Professional and Scientific Societies, Associations and Academies: Member of the Asociación de Parasitólogos Españoles (Executive Committee member: 1982-1985; 1990-1993), Asociación Española de Hidatidología (founder member), Asociación de Protozoólogos de Lengua Española (founder member), Asociación Española de Zoonosis (founder member; Executive Committee member: 1990-1995), Institució Catalana d'Història Natural, and Sociedad Española de Medicina Tropical y Salud Internacional (Executive Committee member: 1998-1999), of Spain; Société Française de Parasitologie, Société Française de Malacologie, Société Française de Systématique and Association Homme-Santé-Tropiques (founder member), of France; Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences Naturelles, of Switzerland; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Säugetierkunde and Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Säugetierforschung München, of Germany; American Society of Parasitologists, Helminthological Society of Washington, American Society of Tropical Medicina and Hygiene (discontinuously since 1992), and New York Academy of Sciences, of U.S.A.; Hungarian Society of Parasitology (Honorary Member); Egyptian Society of Parasitology (Honorary Member).

High Responsibilities in Supranational Organizations, Scientific Societies and International Networks: President Elect and Vice President of the International Federation of Tropical Medicine (IFTM 2012-2020), President of the European Federation of Parasitologists (2004-2012), Vice-President of the European Federation of Parasitologists (1992-2000). Board Member of the World Federation of Parasitologists (WFP) (2006-2014). Board Member of the International Federation of Tropical Medicine (IFTM) (2005-2008). Treasurer of the International Federation of Tropical Medicine (IFTM) (2008-2012). President of the Sociedad Española de Parasitologia (2003-2007); Vice-President of the Asociación de Parasitólogos Españoles (1997-2001); Vice-President of the Sociedad Española de Medicina Tropical y Salud Internacional (2000-2004). Spanish representing member in the European networks ETHIC (European Tropical Health Informatics Consortium), SHARED (Scientists for Health and Research for Development), RAPAR (Red Alfa de Parasitología), and TROPEDEUROP-tropEd (Training of Tropical Medicine in Europe); Adviser of the Scientific Committees of the European Centre for Infectious Diseases (ECID) and the Network on Emerging Diseases in a Changing European Environment (EDEN). Expert Member of the World Health Organization (WHO/OMS, Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland) (2000-today), including the main charge of leadering the Worldwide Initiative of WHO against Human Fascioliasis. Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Fascioliasis and Its Snail Vectors (WHO Headquarters Geneva, 2011-today). Health Adviser of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Headquaters Vienna, Austria) (2005-today). Member of the WHO-STAG Committee (Strategic and Technical Advisory Group, WHO Headquarters Geneva, 2009-2014). Member of the WHO Working Group on Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZDs) (WHO Headquarters Geneva, 2012-today). Director of the FAO Reference Centre for Parasitology (FAO Headquarters Roma, 2013-today).


Address: Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia,
Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100
Burjassot - Valencia, Spain.
Tel.: (+34)-96-354-42-98.
Fax: (+34)-96-354-47-69.
Email: S.Mas.Coma@uv.es