Associate Professor Francisco Rivas was born at Motril (Granada, Spain) in 1963. He studied Chemistry at the University of Granada, where he earned his B.S. in Chemistry in 1986 and his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1991, under the supervision of Professor Andrés García-Granados. Over the years 1987/1990 he was awarded a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, and in 1991, a post-doctoral grant from the University of Granada. From 1991 to 1997 he worked as Assistant Professor at the University of Granada. During this period he made a stay of more than a year in the Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry at the CSIC (Estación Experimental Zaidín. Granada). In 1997 he reached a temporary full-time teaching and research position in the Department of Organic Chemistry (University of Granada) and, in 1998, he reached a permanent Associate Professor position, which he maintains today. Since joining to the University of Granada, he has been a member of the research group “BIONAT, Natural Products: Biotechnology and Chemistry” PAIDI FQM-139 of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain).
Natural Products, Sideritis, Biotransformation, Alpeorujo, Solid-Phase Organic Synthesis, Chemical Derivatization, Biological Properties.
The scientific interests of Professor Rivas are fundamentally related to the Chemistry of Natural Products. In the early years his research was directed towards the studies of microbiological and chemical semi-synthesis of sesqui- and diterpene compounds, isolated from plants of the genus Sideritis (Family Labiatae); a research field in which he published numerous articles. Subsequently, he switched to another natural source, namely olive-mill wastes, which are very abundant in southern Spain, providing several value-added triterpene natural products. These natural organic compounds are very interesting for performing semi-synthesis of new derivatives, with access to products with interesting biological properties feedstock. Many of these derivatives have been obtained following the philosophy of Combinatorial Chemistry, by employing techniques of Solid Phase Organic Synthesis. It is also important to mention his contribution in the field of applied science, with a number of patents, ranging from obtaining natural products from natural sources to the potential applications of these natural compounds as agents with diverse biological activities.
