Maria Salazar is researching the impact food microbiology and food safety has on human, animal and ecosystem health.
Maria Salazar is originally from Neiva, Colombia. Prior to Texas Tech University, she received her bachelor's in industrial microbiology at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia.
Her journey brought her to Lubbock, Texas where she pursued her master's in food science in the Animal and Food Sciences department at Texas Tech. It was during this time she connected her work in food safety to One Health.
Soon after her master's, she found herself in Amarillo, Texas pursuing her doctorate
at Texas Tech's School of Veterinary Medicine's innovative Ph.D. in One Health Sciences program. She is now using One Health to advance her knowledge and research so she
can find ways to improve human, animal and ecosystem health through food safety. 
“I chose to work in food microbiology and food safety specifically because it is an area in which human beings can be directly impacted and that is precisely what I want to do,” Salazar said. “I want to make an impact and contribute positively to global health, and what better way to do this than by investigating the relationship of microorganisms with food and how these studies can be used to improve public health?”
Let's get to know Maria Salazar through a series of questions.
Tell us a little bit about your family. How has the culture you grew up around influenced you to be the person you are today?
My family is composed of my mother, father, and younger sister as well as two dogs. My mother is a wonderful person who has taught me many valuable lessons in life. She has shown me how to appreciate pretty much everything, how to savor every moment, to live life with eyes wide open, to live with passion, and how to always look at the bright side of things.
My mom is also very creative and artistic. She enjoys painting, photography, and decorating, and she has a successful career in marketing. Our hometown is a city where festivals and carnivals are held every year, and where folk music is very popular. This has influenced my mother's love for music and dance, and she has passed on this love to me.
My mother is a hard-working and determined person. She doesn't like to waste time, and she has raised me and my sister to be diligent and ambitious. She has always encouraged us to pursue our goals and to face every day with optimism and perseverance. She is also a strong and resilient person. She has never let any difficulties or challenges bring her down. Instead, she always stands up and turns every adversity into an opportunity, and I will always be thankful for that.
My dad is a very cool dad, I always tell him that. Sometimes he realizes he has two daughters who are a bit crazy and funny, and whenever he does, he smiles and also follow us in our crazy ideas. He is very wise, gives the best advice whenever I need it, and is hard-working.
He was always considered the nerd in his class, and he still is, and I also took that from him. He loves to read, study, teach, and work. I could say he is workaholic, but this has made him a successful engineer. He has played the piano all his life and he was in orchestras when he was young. He inspired me to love music too – he supported me with guitar classes and I sing very well thanks to him. He also is super athletic. He has done many triathlons and he trains every day for that. He taught me to love exercise and to have a healthy lifestyle as well.
My dad is a person who loves to be busy and make the most of his time. He works, exercises, and spends time with his family. I don't know how he manages to do everything, but he always does, and I admire him for that. Besides being physically like him, we are also very similar in personality, and I love when people tell me I'm like him.
Lastly, my sister is the most important person in my life. I have always believed that the best gift my parents ever gave me was my sister. She is very similar to my mom in many ways: a super happy and funny person who loves dancing, music, and painting. She always tries to help people, she cares very much about animals and the environment.
Right now, she is studying for her bachelor´s degree in Government and Public Relations, and she has been extremely disciplined and determined. I admire her so much. We share a love for music, we even had a band together when I lived in Colombia. My sister is not only my sibling, but also my best friend.
How did you find your passion in research?
I have always been passionate about science. For the last two years in high school, I had to choose an emphasis and, of course, I chose the biology and chemistry emphasis which meant that I was going to see more hours and more depth in the topics of these classes than in the others. After finishing high school, I chose to pursue a bachelor's degree that would allow me to grow and apply my abilities in biology and chemistry through scientific research. That's why I carefully investigated different career paths and discovered the field of microbiology at the national college fair.
As a microbiology student, I learned I had many opportunities to work and research in various domains such as environmental, agricultural, food and clinical microbiology fields. I decided to pursue a master's in food science in the Animal and Food Science Department at Texas Tech.
During my master's I learned that food safety issues are complex, so as a researcher I needed to look the bigger picture as we must consider how the environment affects the emergence of animal diseases and how can these affect human health through the food chain. This is how I found that One Health Sciences would give me the ability to expand my knowledge, learn how to work collaboratively, and to solve complex food safety problems.
What inspires you to pursue what you love to do every day?
Every day I wake up with the intention to learn and discover something new, whether if it is in the lab or by doing literature review, and I think it is very important to keep up with the latest research and news in this field so that I'm not wasting any minute of my time. This is what inspires me to pursue what I love to do every day. I believe when you work on something that you are passionate about, it is not really work but is having fun.
I find microbiology to be very fun and fascinating because it allows me to explore an invisible world for many people which is the microorganisms and their different interactions and effects within the food chain. I enjoy applying my knowledge and skills, but also improving them at least 1% more than the last day. Food microbiology is not only my career, but also my passion.
Why did you choose Texas Tech?
I got in touch with Texas Tech University's School of Veterinary Medicine's Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Dr. Alexandra Calle, who became my advisor, after receiving some recommendations from the university where I earned my bachelor's degree. She offered me the opportunity to pursue a master's in food science under her supervision at Texas Tech.
I enrolled in the program and started my studies. In the middle of my master's program, Dr. Calle and her team moved to the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo where I continued my master's degree from there. While here, I learned more about the Ph.D. in One Health Sciences program and I got very interested and decided to apply for it.
I wanted to stay at Texas Tech because it is a university that really supports students to achieve their academic goals. As an international student, I feel valued and included at Texas Tech. I also appreciate how we all share our different cultures, and the community we all have helped to build.
What is your research focus?
I am a researcher at the Applied Microbiology and Food Safety Lab at the School of Veterinary Medicine. Our primary objective is to identify foodborne pathogens and develop interventions to control their impact within the food chain. Specifically, my research focus is on Staphylococcus aureus, a causative agent of mastitis in bovine cattle, in which I have investigated its ability to form biofilms under varying growth conditions. This bacterial species is of critical concern due to its adverse effects on animal health, milk quality, food safety, and economic losses in the dairy industry.
By understanding biofilm formation, we aim to develop strategies that specifically
inhibit this process, so I have assessed the efficacy of different antimicrobials
and repurposed drugs against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Additionally, I'm working
on a new project in which I am investigating the use of bacteriophages, which are
viruses that target specifically bacteria, to combat bacterial biofilms on food contact
surfaces. 
Overall, I have gained knowledge on bacterial biofilms and I have become the expert in this field within Dr. Calle's team, as I have developed the protocols to work with this type of bacterial growth on Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in our lab.
Who is your mentor and how are you working together?
I am fortunate to have Dr. Alexandra Calle as my advisor. I have been working with her since January 2022 when I began my master's degree under her guidance. Upon completing my master's, she decided to keep me as one of her One Health Ph.D. students.
Dr. Calle's reputation precedes her. She is recognized for her research in detecting foodborne pathogens and developing effective intervention strategies. Additionally, her collaborative work with federal agencies to enhance food safety internationally highlights her commitment to making a positive impact on public health.
As my mentor, Dr. Calle has not only shared her expertise but also has provided great support, guiding me through our research projects. Her mentorship has been invaluable, shaping my growth as a researcher and increasing my passion on food microbiology.
What are your plans after completing the One Health Ph.D. Program?
After completing my Ph.D., as a short-term goal, I intend to use and apply the knowledge I've acquired to be able to develop myself as a food quality analyst in a food company to be able to improve production, prevent risks, provide solutions as well as, most importantly, impact and share food safety culture.
As a long-term goal, I would love to build an academic path as well in which I can carry out my own research to generate value to the food industry from the outside and contribute to public health through science.
What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
My favorite thing to do outside of school is practicing CrossFit, which I do every day. I have also acquired a love for running. It has been a difficult path, but I have learned it from my father. I have also competed in some races, which makes me want to get better at it. I try to do this activity at least twice a week, and I have found it to be really helpful to relieve stress.
On the other hand, I love music. One of my favorite things to do is to sit down on my couch and play some music. I also like to sing, so occasionally I sing to myself and practice a little. I also do weekly virtual meetings with my sister for us to write some songs, so that every time I go back to Colombia we can record them together for our band. This has been an enriching experience to share with my sister even though we are apart.