Yensi Flores Bueso

Biography

I am an early-career researcher with a diverse background encompassing research, entrepreneurship, leadership, advocacy, and business analysis.

Currently, I am a Marie Curie Fellow at the world-renowned Institute for Protein Design, (IPD), University of Washington, Seattle and CancerResearch@UCC, where I apply computational protein design to engineer electron transfer systems that enhance photosynthetic efficiency—a step toward optimising pathways for sustainable energy solutions. My previous research includes studying translational bypassing in bacteriophages. Throughout my PhD, I made significant contributions to microbiome analysis in cancer research, developing methods to study tumour-associated bacteria in archival specimens. Prior to my PhD, I contributed to epidemiological studies of HPV and investigated the genetic diversity of native Honduran maize varieties. My postgraduate research has been self-funded through highly competitive grants.

As co-chair of the Global Young Academy (GYA), I currently oversee organisational activities, collaborating with the Executive Committee, members, and staff to strengthen internal procedures and support fundraising efforts. I represent GYA in international forums, including the UN Secretary General’s Scientific Advisory Board and the STS Forum. During my time on the GYA Executive Committee in 2023, I led efforts to reform member selection processes and establish academy wide communication channels. Concurrently, I served on the steering board of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) as a GYA representative, advocating for assessment policies that recognise the diversity of early-career researchers worldwide. I organised panels on open science and research assessment at major events, including the 2023 NORFest, the 2024 GYA AGM at NASEM, and the 2024 World Science Forum, and have spoken at relevant international venues, including OSFAIR in Madrid, the MUNIN Conference,  Triennial Conference of InterAcademy Partnership and Worldwide Meeting of Young Academies and other. I also serve on the NASEM Strategic Council’s Working Group on Credit and Accountability.

Previously, I co-led the GYA’s Scientific Excellence Working Group, where I co-led a global study on research assessment across 141 institutions in 56 countries, which highlighted diverse academic promotion criteria and promoted evidence-based evaluation practices. I also co-lead the Biodiversity for Survival Working Group, where I have driven initiatives such as publishing “Biodiversity: The Overlooked Source of Human Health” in Trends in Molecular Medicine (March 2023), delivering computational biology workshops, and creating a science+art video to promote biodiversity conservation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w3bvmBLOlg.

Beyond academia, I have extensive experience in start-up initiatives, including founding the first molecular biology lab at UNAH; establishing a molecular diagnostic lab for Honduras’s reference laboratory, Laboratorios Médicos; creating a healthcare centre for diabetic and metabolic disease treatment; and co-founding GlowDx, a start-up focused on molecular diagnostics for low-income countries. My entrepreneurial achievements have been recognised through awards, including Irish Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2015/2016), Google Adopt a Start-Up, IndieBio, and finalist positions at SXSW and Pioneer500. Additionally, I have served as a business analyst for UN- and WB-funded projects focused on improving public infrastructure in Honduras.

Awards