Nidia Alvarez-Rueda

Nidia Alvarez-Rueda is an Associate Professor at the University of Nantes, affiliated with the Department of Parasitology and Medical Mycology within the UFR of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences. She holds a dual role as a teacher-researcher at the Institute of Health Research 2 (IICiMed), specializing in infectious diseases and immunity.

Her research focuses on understanding fungal persistence mechanisms in Candida infections, particularly investigating the interplay between fungal resistance and host immune responses. Key areas include antifungal resistance dynamics, microbiota interactions influencing infection outcomes, and emerging pathogens like Candida auris. She has pioneered in vitro granuloma models to study host-fungal interactions and contributed to elucidating molecular mechanisms of azole resistance in Candida species.

Alvarez-Rueda teaches courses in parasitology, medical mycology, and animal biodiversity at the undergraduate level. Her work is supported by ANR-funded projects exploring 'One Health' approaches to infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. She collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at IICiMed targeting therapeutic innovations against persistent infections.

Her publications span 2003-2020, consistently addressing fungal pathogenesis and immunity. The experimental models she developed have become foundational tools for studying persistent fungal infections. Despite no specific awards listed, her contributions to medical mycology are recognized through sustained research output and academic service.