Curriculum vitae

• 2022 – : Postdoc at the Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources
• 2021: R &D Analytical Scientist, Laboratories Silanes, Toluca, Mexico
• 2019-2020: Postdoc, Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Cuernavaca, Mor., Mexico.
  • • Establish high-throughput assays for activity measurement of lactate dehydrogenase, catechol dioxygenase, and peroxidase enzymes.
    • Biochemical and kinetic characterization of a novel bacterial dioxygenase enzyme.
    •  Developed methodology for the evaluation of intrinsically disordered proteins as enzyme protectants against inactivation by freezing, desiccation, and oxidative damage.
• 2017 – 2019: Project leader, Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Cell Engineering and Biocatalysis, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Cuernavaca, Mor., Mexico.
  • • Managed the implementation of lab protocols, equipment and grad/undergrad student training in a newly established independent research group.
    • Responsible for developing analysis and maintenance of HPLC and FPLC systems.
    • Validated data and wrote result reports for a binational Mexico-Germany (CONACyT-BMBF) project focused on the enzymatic production of hybrid oligosaccharides with potential prebiotic activity.
• 2019: PhD in Biochemistry, Institute of Biotechnology UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mor., Mexico.
  • • Structural studies of a polymer synthesizing glycosyltransferase and the protein-product interactions by DLS, ITC and crystallography.
    •  Rational design of enzyme mutants to synthesize defined-size poly- and oligosaccharides.
    • Authored 4 publications and presented results in international congresses in Germany, Spain and Mexico.
• 2010: B. Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Veracruz, Xalapa, Ver., Mexico.

Publications

• • Raga-Carbajal, E., Espin, G., Ayala, M., Rodríguez-Salazar, J., & Pardo-López, L. (2022) Evaluation of a bacterial group 1 LEA protein as an enzyme protectant from stress-induced inactivation. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 106(17), 5551–5562.
  • Raga-Carbajal E., Díaz-Vilchis A., Rojas-Trejo S., Rudiño-Piñera E. and Olvera C. (2021) The molecular basis of the nonprocessive elongation mechanism in levansucrases. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 296, 100178.
    Rodriguez-Salazar J., Almeida-Juárez A.G., Ornelas-Ocampo K., Millán-Lopez S., Raga-Carbajal E., Rodríguez-Mejía J.L., Muriel-Millán L.F., Godoy-Lozano E., Rivera-Gomez N., Rudiño-Piñera E., Pardo-López L. (2020) Characterization of a Novel Functional Trimeric Catechol 1,2-Dioxygenase From a Pseudomonas stutzeri Isolated From the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 1100.
  • Raga-Carbajal E., Lopez-Munguía A., Alvarez L., Olvera C. (2018) Understanding the transfer reaction network behind the non-processive synthesis of low molecular weight levan catalyzed by Bacillus subtilis Levansucrase. Scientific Reports, 8, 15035.
  • Raga-Carbajal E., Carrillo-Nava E., Costas M., Porras-Dominguez J., Lopez-Munguia A., Olvera C. (2016) Size product modulation by enzyme concentration reveals two distinct levan elongation mechanisms in Bacillus subtilis Levansucrase. Glycobiology, 26, 377-385.
  • Mendez-Lorenzo L., Porras-Dominguez J.R., Raga-Carbajal E., Olvera C., Rodriguez-Alegria M.E., Carrillo-Nava E., Costas M., Lopez-Munguia A. (2015) Intrinsic Levanase Activity of Bacillus subtilis 168 Levansucrase (SacB). PLoS ONE, 10, e0143394.
  • Solís-Fuentes J. A., Raga-Carbajal E., Durán-de-Bazúa M. C. (2015) Direct Sucrose Hydrolysis in Sugarcane Juice with Immobilized Invertase: Multiresponse Optimization Using Desirability Function on Conversion and Reactor Volumetric Productivity. Sugar Tech, 17, 266-275.

   

  CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS

  • 19th European Carbohydrate Symposium EuroCarb, Spain (2017). “Structure of levan-type FOS synthesized by a bi-enzymatic process“. E. Raga-Carbajal, E. Mellado-Mojica, J. R. Porras-Domínguez, A. López-Munguía, M. G. López, C. Olvera. Poster presentation.
  • 8th International Fructan Symposium, Mexico (2016). “Insights Into the Non-Processive Polymer Synthesis Catalyzed by Bacillus subtilis Levansucrase: Initiators and Intermediates”. E. Raga-Carbajal, A. López-Munguía and C. Olvera. Oral presentation.
  • 16th National Congress of Biotechnology and Bioengineering SMBB, Mexico (2015). “Non-processive levan synthesis by Bacillus subtilis SacB”. E. Raga-Carbajal, A. López-Munguía and C. Olvera. Oral presentation.
  • 7th International Congress on Biocatalysis Biocat, Germany (2014). “Modulation of Bacullis subtilis levansucrase elongation mechanism by reaction conditions”. E. Raga-Carbajal, A. López-Munguía and C. Olvera. Poster presentation.

   

Research

My scientific work focuses on the study of enzymes of industrial interest to improve biocatalytic processes. I apply research approaches from enzymology, structural biology, and protein engineering to understand enzymatic mechanisms and develop new biocatalysts that enable the production of added-value products such as functional oligosaccharides and biopolymers.

In our current TUM-industry joint project, we are working on the assembly and screening of chimeric enzymes to improve the production of bioactive oligosaccharides and generate novel hybrid sugars. For this purpose, we perform high-throughput cloning, cell expression, protein purification and HPLC-based product analysis techniques.