Cesar Perez Fernandez holds a PhD in Biology/Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico, with a postdoctoral degree in Environmental Microbiology from Johns Hopkins University. His experience focuses on the use of molecular and bioinformatics tools in the study of microorganisms in extreme environments as models for understanding climate change, desertification, and molecular mechanisms of stress adaptation. He currently serves as Head of the Bioengineering program in Santa Cruz and director of the Center for Biotechnology Research.