This group is comprised of faculty from two areas of knowledge whose research efforts are mainly carried out in the field of basic health sciences. Today, toxicology, microbiology, biotechnology, legal medicine, and occupational health converge in research because they share numerous methods and foundations, in addition to their dealing with common problems such as pathologies related with occupational and environmental surroundings and the identification of individuals and species with molecular methods.
The proposal presented responds to an already established situation of cooperation between its group members. Our fundamental objective is therefore that of consolidating such collaboration, giving it a more official character, as well as uniting efforts and resources to optimize performance. Specific research objectives are classified fundamentally into two common lines: the study of pathologies in terms of the surroundings, both occupational as well as environmental, with assessments of exposure to toxins and infectious agents, and the application of molecular biology techniques in three directions: examination of molecular epidemiology of pathogenic microorganisms, genomic characterization of individuals and biological remains, for both judicial and legal research, as well as their relationship with aspects of occupational health. Furthermore, other lines are ongoing using common methodologies but more specific objectives, such as acquiring substances for application in biophysics and human and animal therapeutics, developing rapid detection methods of fungi in clinical and environmental samples, assessing bodily harm and occupational incapacitation, and assessing and preventing physical and psychosocial risks in occupational environments.