Profile

Distinguished Professor. Title granted in Academic Council Session No. 423, held on July 24, 2017.

Dr. Ernesto Favela Torres was born in Mexico City. In 1982, he earned a degree in Industrial Biochemical Engineering from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Iztapalapa Campus. In 1987, he obtained his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Provence in Marseille, France. Upon returning to Mexico, he joined the Department of Biotechnology at UAM’s Iztapalapa Campus, where he worked from December 1987 onward.

Dr. Favela focused his teaching on Industrial Separation Processes and Industrial Microbiology courses for undergraduate students in Industrial Biochemical Engineering, as well as various courses for graduate students in Biotechnology. Over the past 30 years at UAM, he supervised ten specialization theses, 28 master’s theses, and 14 doctoral dissertations. He also advised more than 60 undergraduate theses or social service projects.

His research was widely recognized for its long-standing contributions to the study of solid-state fermentation processes. His earliest studies in this field date back to 1981. Thanks to his dedicated and sustained efforts, he published over 85 SCOPUS-indexed articles. His work received more than 3,100 citations (excluding self-citations), with an h-index of 32. According to Google Scholar, his publications were cited approximately 6,300 times. As part of his research efforts, Dr. Favela filed five industrial protection applications with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), four of which were granted. In 2017, UAM awarded him the title of Distinguished Professor.

Dr. Favela’s research received funding primarily from CONACyT and also from the industrial sector. Since 1988, he has served as principal investigator for nearly uninterrupted research projects, including 14 individual and 2 group projects, involving partnerships with companies, universities, and research centers in Mexico, France, and Spain. He maintained strong ties with both national (Agro-Ux, TEMA) and international (Alltech Mexico) companies, facilitating collaboration with the productive sector and helping UAM Iztapalapa graduates transition into industry roles.

He also shared his research in 204 national and 126 international scientific conferences and events. Additionally, he taught courses on solid-state fermentation and microbial physiology in Mexico (Morelia and Durango), India (Madurai), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro).

For his contributions to human resource development and his scientific productivity, Dr. Favela has maintained uninterrupted membership in the National System of Researchers (SNI) since 1988. In 2004, he achieved the designation of National Researcher, Level III.

As part of his university service at UAM Iztapalapa Campus, he held positions such as Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Head of the Microbiology Area, Graduate Program Coordinator, and member of the Academic Council. He also participated in numerous CONACyT evaluation committees, served as a juror for the National Prize for Sciences and Arts and the State Prize for Science and Technology of the State of Mexico, and contributed to the Evaluation Committee for Area VI of the SNI and the Review Commission at the Biotechnology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He reviewed national and international research projects and scientific articles submitted to leading agencies and journals. He served on the Editorial Board of the journal Bioresource Technology, which recognized him as a “Top Reviewer” for his contributions to the journal’s high standards.

Dr. Favela gained international recognition for his work on solid-state fermentation, a field to which he devoted himself from the moment he joined UAM.