Blanca Barquera

Blanca Barquera is a Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (1991) and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Illinois-Urbana (NIH-Fogarty Fellowship) and University of Helsinki.

• Education: Ph.D. (1991), M.S. (1987), B.S. (1985) from National Autonomous University of Mexico

Her research focuses on bacterial energy metabolism, particularly ion transporters like Na+-NQR and RNF enzymes. She investigates how bacteria adapt to diverse environments via redox-driven Na+ gradients, with applications in antibiotic resistance and gut microbiota interactions.

Recent publications (2025–2020) cover structural biology of Na+-NQR, inhibitor resistance, and microbial physiology. She collaborates on Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides fragilis, using models like mice and fruit flies.

• Scientific Awards: NIH-Fogarty Postdoctoral Fellowship

Her work is supported by NIH and NSF grants. She teaches BIOL 4310/6310 - Microbiology, emphasizing microbial genetics and physiology.