Prof. Dr. Cecilia Inés Alvarez Igarzabal is the Vice Director of the Institute. Currently, she is full university Professor (Titular Professor), in the Department of Organic Chemistry (DQO) of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences (FCQ) of the National University of Córdoba (UNC), Argentina. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a focus on Organic Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Sciences from UNC in 1993. She is Director of the Research Area called Polymeric, Hybrid and Nanoarchitectural Materials (Laboratory of Polymeric Materials (LaMaP)), DQO, FCQ, UNC. She is also Principal Investigator of Conicet, Argentina.
Its main research activities are related to the study of synthesis and characterization of new functionalized hydrophilic polymeric materials whose derivatization allows obtaining products applicable in areas of interest. More specifically, she is developing: (1) Cross-linked polymers (hydrogels, nanogels, micelles, etc.) with various applications, such as controlled release of drugs, water decontamination, among others; (2) New polymeric platforms for the delivery of therapeutic compounds in biomedical applications; (3) Biodegradable materials, from polymeric materials of natural origin for uses in coatings, wrappers (packaging), applications in controlled release of drugs, etc.

She has published more than 75 publications in scientific journals and book chapters, and has participated in more than 150 national and international scientific events. Her h index is 22, with more than 1900 citations (May 2024) (Scopus).

Dr. Alvarez Igarzabal has participated as director, co-director or member of numerous research projects that were subsidized by national entities such as Secyt (UNC), Conicet and Foncyt (MinCyT).
She has directed and co-directed numerous undergraduate students, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship, academic internships, Doctoral Thesis students, Conicet Researchers (CIC), etc. She has acted external member of the jury for Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Theses at different national universities.

She has participated in various academic activities at the FCQ, as well as in numerous commissions of other academic entities, including Secyt (UNC), Foncyt, Conicet, etc. Currently, she is Alternate Director of the Doctoral Career in Materials Science (FCQ and Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics and Computing, FAMAF, UNC).

She has participated in evaluations of applicants for different positions (competitions for academic teaching positions, doctoral and postdoctoral scholarships, admissions to the Conicet Researcher Career, CIC, promotion of researchers, etc.) as well as R&D projects in the Argentine scientists systems (Secyt, Conicet, Foncyt). She has served as a reviewer in scientific journals and has participated in numerous scientific committees of national and international meetings.

She has teaching experience in numerous graduate and postgraduate courses in the FCQ.
Currently, she participates in a high-level technological service (STAN) related to the analysis of polymeric formulations applicable to commercial or industrial uses. She is also coordinator of the Transfer Center: Laboratory of Polymeric Materials (LaMaP), which works in coordination with CEQUIMAP (Center for Applied Chemistry), FCQ (UNC), which has the character of a Technological Linkage Unit. She has provided analysis and consulting services to national companies such as Promedon, Klockner Pentaplast, Electro Ingeniería, FIAT, Química Luar, etc.