Innovative Research Award
Laila Darwich Soliva
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Laila Darwich Soliva is a researcher and academic at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain, working in animal health, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and One Health research. Her institutional research profile identifies her within the Department of Animal Health and Anatomy and the research group TRANSMISAN. The profile records a substantial body of peer-reviewed research and an h-index of 37. [1]
Abstract
The Innovative Research Award profile recognizes the research activities of Laila Darwich Soliva in the fields of animal health, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and One Health. Her academic work is associated with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where she is affiliated with the Department of Animal Health and Anatomy and the TRANSMISAN research group. Institutional records describe research outputs addressing bacterial pathogens, antimicrobial-resistance determinants, zoonotic disease and genomic surveillance. [1]
Her research trajectory combines veterinary science with microbiological, epidemiological and genomic approaches. This interdisciplinary orientation is particularly relevant to contemporary surveillance of antimicrobial resistance, where understanding transmission across animal, environmental and human populations requires integrated One Health methodologies. Her publication record and citation indicators provide quantitative evidence of sustained scholarly activity. [1]
Keywords
Laila Darwich Soliva; Innovative Research Award; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; antimicrobial resistance; whole-genome sequencing; WGS; AMR transmission; infectious diseases; veterinary medicine; One Health; zoonoses; bacterial genomics; antimicrobial-resistance genes; genomic surveillance; animal health.
Introduction
Darwich Soliva’s research profile is situated within this interdisciplinary environment. UAB records identify her academic activities with the Department of Animal Health and Anatomy and the TRANSMISAN group, while her institutional profile documents research outputs spanning animal infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and related One Health topics. [1]
Her academic career also includes formal training in veterinary medicine and postgraduate research experience. The UAB research portal records a PhD in Veterinary Medicine awarded in 2004 and previous postdoctoral research activity at the Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Research Institute. [1]
Research Profile
The research profile of Laila Darwich Soliva reflects an interdisciplinary approach to infectious diseases and animal health. Her institutional affiliation places her within the scientific area of Animal Health, with research activities connected to transmissible diseases and One Health. [1]
- Veterinary medicine and animal health research.
- Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial-resistance determinants.
- Whole-genome sequencing and bacterial genomic characterization.
- Zoonoses and infectious diseases at the animal–human interface.
- One Health approaches to infectious-disease surveillance.
- Epidemiological investigation of pathogens in animal and wildlife populations.
The UAB research portal currently lists more than one hundred research outputs associated with her profile, including articles, reviews, book chapters and other scholarly contributions. Recent examples include research on antimicrobial-resistance genes in wildlife and livestock-associated bacteria and genomic characterization of Klebsiella strains. [1]
Research Contributions
A central contribution of Darwich Soliva’s research is the application of genomic and microbiological methods to questions of antimicrobial resistance and infectious-disease transmission. Research listed by UAB includes work examining the global distribution of antimicrobial-resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolated from wild animals, as well as studies of antibiotic determinants and heavy-metal resistance genes in E. coli from pigs in Catalonia. [1]
Her recent research record also includes whole-genome characterization of Klebsiella strains identified in European hedgehogs and human nosocomial settings, with attention to shared sequence types, antimicrobial-resistance genes and plasmids. Such work illustrates the value of genomic comparison for understanding bacterial populations across ecological and clinical contexts. [1]
Additional research activities address antimicrobial resistance in companion-animal and wildlife contexts, including studies of canine otitis pathogens and resistant bacterial populations. These research directions contribute to a broader evidence base for antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance within veterinary and One Health frameworks. [1]
Publications
The institutional research portal lists a substantial publication record for Laila Darwich Soliva. Examples of recent research outputs include peer-reviewed studies addressing antimicrobial resistance, bacterial genomics and wildlife-associated pathogens. [1]
- Detection of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase–Producing Bacteria and CMY-2 Genes in Coypu (Myocastor coypus) in Catalan Wetlands, Northeast Spain, published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases in 2026. [1]
- Whole Genome Characterization of Klebsiella Strains in European Hedgehogs and Human Nosocomial Settings Identified Shared Sequence Types, Antimicrobial Resistance Genes and Plasmids, published in Zoonoses and Public Health in 2026. [1]
- Characterization of antibiotic determinants and heavy metal resistance genes in Escherichia coli from pigs in Catalonia, published in Microbial Genomics in 2025. [1]
- Global distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolated from wild animals using genomes available in public databases, published in Science of the Total Environment in 2025. [1]
- Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance of Canine Otitis Pathogens in the Iberian Peninsula (2010–2021), published in Antibiotics in 2025. [1]
Publication-specific DOI information should be verified against the publisher or DOI registry before being used as a bibliographic identifier. No DOI is asserted here where the supplied researcher profile does not provide a verified DOI value.
Research Impact
The supplied research metrics identify 101 documents, approximately 3,917 citations and an h-index of 37. The UAB research portal independently reports an h-index of 37 and a citation count displayed at approximately 3,931 at the time of its indexed profile, illustrating that citation totals can vary according to database update timing and indexing coverage. [1]
Beyond bibliometric indicators, the research profile has relevance to infectious-disease surveillance, veterinary public health and antimicrobial-resistance monitoring. Studies involving wildlife, livestock, companion animals and bacterial genomic data demonstrate the potential value of integrated surveillance approaches for identifying resistance determinants and understanding pathogen circulation across populations. [1]
Her academic activities also extend into postgraduate and multidisciplinary education. The UAB Master’s Degree in Zoonoses and One Health identifies Laila Darwich Soliva as coordinator and teaching staff member, reflecting an educational role connected with multidisciplinary approaches to zoonotic disease and One Health. [2]
Award Suitability
The research record provides a substantive basis for consideration under an Innovative Research Award framework. Relevant factors include sustained scholarly output, a documented research focus on infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, application of genomic approaches to bacterial surveillance, and participation in multidisciplinary One Health education and research. [1] [2]
- Research relevance: Her work addresses antimicrobial resistance, infectious diseases and animal health, areas of continuing scientific and public-health importance.
- Methodological scope: Her research includes genomic characterization and whole-genome sequencing approaches relevant to bacterial surveillance.
- Interdisciplinary contribution: The research connects veterinary medicine, microbiology, epidemiology, genomics and One Health.
- Scholarly record: The institutional profile documents a substantial body of research output and established citation impact. [1]
- Educational contribution: Her involvement in the UAB Zoonoses and One Health master’s programme demonstrates engagement with multidisciplinary scientific education. [2]
Award suitability remains subject to the formal evaluation criteria, documentation requirements and independent review procedures established by the Genetics Awards programme. The information presented here should therefore be regarded as an academic recognition profile rather than a determination of award outcome.
Conclusion
Laila Darwich Soliva’s academic profile represents sustained research activity in animal health, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and One Health. Her work incorporates genomic and epidemiological perspectives that are increasingly important for understanding antimicrobial-resistance patterns and pathogen transmission across animal and human environments. [1]
The combination of research productivity, citation impact, interdisciplinary investigation and academic engagement provides a strong scholarly context for consideration for an Innovative Research Award. Her institutional record further demonstrates involvement in postgraduate education and multidisciplinary One Health training. [1] [2]
External Links
References
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. (n.d.). Laila Darwich Soliva — Research Portal. Department of Animal Health and Anatomy; Grup de Recerca en Malalties Transmissibles en Sanitat Animal (TRANSMISAN).
https://portalrecerca.uab.cat/en/persons/laila-darwich-soliva-7/
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https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/15/7/678
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- Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Laila Darwich Soliva, Author ID 8514531300.
Scopus.https://www.scopus.com/pages/authors/8514531300