ZARID Mohamed

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Advanced Techniques in Agricultural and Food Research and Development.

After a DUT in Bioengineering (2007-2009) a BSc in Quality Control of Agri-Food Products (2009-2010) an Engineer degree in Agri-Food Technologies (2010-2012) and a MSc in Quality Management in Agri-Food Industries (2012-2013) from FSTBM-Sultan Moulay Slimane University (Morocco), He obtained his PhD (Sobresaliente Cum Laude) from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena-UPCT (Spain) (2016-2020).

The topic of his PhD thesis was the "Association among aroma volatiles and other traits in one near-isogenic line with firm flesh texture", and the goal was to determine global quality and aroma profile of a melon one near-isogenic line with different texture than its nonclimacteric parental "Piel de Sapo" in order to map QTLs associated with fruit quality and particularly aroma volatiles.

He was integrated into a research group (Postharvest & Refrigeration Group - UPCT) mainly dedicated to Genetic aspects of melon breeding and quality at harvest and during postharvest using melon accessions, commercial cultivars and near-isogenic lines. Research focus has been primarily in identification and quantification of aroma volatiles of melons near-isogenic lines at harvest and during postharvest by GC-MS and a complex methodology of data integration and verification.

Additionally, He worked in cooperation in COMAV-UPV (Valencia-Spain) and EPFL (Lausanne-Switzerland) with RNA Extraction and Differential Gene Expression. He also was dedicated to fruit quality, mainly textural attributes, in order to associate them to volatile production.

He was Researcher with 14 other Researchers in a "Séneca" Foundation project: Analysis of effects of QTLs that induce flesh textural and overall quality changes in melon fruit, Principal Researcher: Prof. Dr. Juan Pablo Fernández Trujillo, Sites: UPCT, Fat Institute-CSIC, IBMCP-UPV-CSIC and COMAV in Spain.

He taught General and Food Microbiology, Food Biochemistry. He worked as Head Laboratory of Analysis & Quality Control of an Agri-food company and as Trainer and Auditor in several Agri-food companies. He currently works as Researcher of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena-Spain (Research Teaching Staff (PDI)) and INRAE-Avignon (France) as a PostDoc.

He has published papers in international journals (5 in SCI), books or chapters (8), other journals (2), communications (11), scientific conferences (19 in total) and He did several Research Stays/Internships in different areas (8). Awarded with "Isaac Peral y Caballero" Research Award (2016 and 2018) and Extraordinary PhD Award-UPCT (2019-2020): 1st in Section and 3rd position in Sciences.

He is familiar with several Analysis Techniques: Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, RNA and DNA extraction, Quantification by Spectrophotometry, Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, RNA and DNA Sequencing Techniques and all General Analysis Techniques. Softwares; ChemStation Software: Data Analysis and JMP 5.1: Statistical Analysis. As well as sensory analysis, development of new food products and innovation in food technology to improve quality and shelf life. He is interested in all research fields generally related to Agri-food Research and Development.