President and Research Director of “International Park of Creativity,” Bogota, Colombia and International Consultant on Science and Biotechnology.

Dr. Cuero has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Heidelberg (Ohio, USA) where on June 10, 2010, he was recognized as “Outstanding Alumni of the Year” for his inventions and contributions to “Science in the U.S. and the World.”  He holds a Master of Science degree in Plant Pathology from Ohio State University, where he studied under scholarship.  Dr. Cuero received his Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom.  While a student he received numerous scholarship awards for his inventions. While seeking his Ph.D., he invented a process related to the containment for solid state fermentation.

·         Former Research Associate Scientist at the Department of Agriculture in the United States.

·         Former Research Scientist and distinguished Professor at Texas A&M University.

While at the university he developed six inventions and in 2008 received recognition for these inventions.  Since 2000 his current research focus is on Synthetic Biology.

NASA Scientific Research Collaborator in Astrobiology and Biogenesis, where he has developed two inventions. His first invention at NASA was to demonstrate the importance of Mars to Earth, with a technology developed to eliminate or destroy toxic and radio-nuclide contaminants using Martian Simulant Soil.  This led to Cuero receiving the “Brief Technology Award” from NASA in 2008.  This technology was selected as one of the three most important to the environment in the global MOOT CORP competition in Austin, Texas, in 2009.

His second invention at NASA was the discovery of a natural molecule to protect the skin from the effects of UV radiation that leads to skin cancer, as well as physical damage such as blistering of the skin. This technology will help to protect astronauts from the effects of UV rays.  As a result of this invention, NASA once again awarded Dr. Cuero a “new technology” award in 2012.

Dr. Cuero has 19 inventions, most of them patented.  He was one of the first scientists to go to China to lecture on biotechnology in 1986, as well as one of the first scientists to go to the new emerging South Africa to lecture on science and biotechnology in 1996-1998. He was one of the first scientists to attend the meeting on Global Warming in 1989.

Dr. Cuero has been published in more than 110 scientific Journals in the fields of biology, microbiology, molecular biology, and synthetic biology.  He authored the book Between Triumphs and Survival printed in English and Spanish.  It is an autobiography about his modest upbringing in the poor town of Buenaventura, Colombia, where he was introduced to science by playing with animals such as lizards, roaches, and crabs that his grandmother collected for home remedies.  In 2012 he published his new book titled How to be Creative for Triumph: Mind of the Mind, which will be available in four languages.

He received the following recognitions:

–Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Antioquia, Colombia, and an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from the University of Caldas, Colombia,  for his scientific contributions that benefit society.

–2010 Outstanding Colombian by the newspaper “El Colombiano” Medellin, Colombia

–2011 Keynote speaker at the World DNA and Genome Congress

–2012 Colombian Leadership Award for outstanding performance in science and technology

–2012 Keynote speaker on “biochips and biosensor” at the World Congress on Molecular Medicine in China

In 2012, the “International Park of Creativity” in Bogota used Dr. Cuero’s work as a model for economic development in Latin America.

For more information, visit the below links:

 http://www.raulcuerobiotech.com/

http://www.parquedelacreatividad.org/english/home.html

http://www.raulcuerobiotech.com/whats_news/interview_univision.html