Maria Monagas

Biography and Expertise of Maria Monagas

Dr. Maria Monagas has dedicated her career to the scientific validation of botanical ingredients, establishing a strong foundation in quality control and analytical science. As a Principal Scientist at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), she holds a key position in the development of public standards that are used worldwide to ensure the quality of dietary supplements and herbal medicines. Her work involves creating and updating USP monographs and General Chapters, which are authoritative documents specifying the requirements for ingredients of botanical origin.

This focus aligns directly with the congress’s Thematic Axis, “Contributions of TCIM to Global Public Health (Evidence-Based).” By establishing rigorous, scientifically-defensible standards, Dr. Monagas contributes to the principles of the Gujarat Declaration, which call for the application of science and evidence to traditional medicine. Therefore, her work helps build trust among consumers, regulators, and healthcare practitioners regarding the safety and consistency of botanical products.

Furthermore, the expertise of Maria Monagas is instrumental in translating complex botanical science into practical quality benchmarks for the industry. Her role facilitates the safe integration of traditional botanical ingredients into modern health systems, supporting the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy by ensuring that products meet established criteria for quality and purity. This scientific gatekeeping is essential for protecting public health and promoting the responsible use of TCIM.

Professional Career of Maria Monagas

Dr. Maria Monagas‘s professional journey reflects a deep commitment to botanical ingredient research and standardization. Before her current role, she was a tenured track Research Scientist at the Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain, one of Europe’s leading multi-disciplinary research bodies. This position provided her with extensive experience in the fundamental research and characterization of natural products, laying the groundwork for her subsequent focus on quality standards.

At the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), she has taken on significant responsibilities that bridge science, industry, and regulatory standards. Her career progression demonstrates a transition from academic research to a pivotal role in public health standard-setting. Her main activities at USP include:

• Monograph Development: She is responsible for the development and review of USP monographs for botanical ingredients. These documents provide the official standards for identity, strength, quality, and purity of substances admitted to the USP-NF and the Dietary Supplements Compendium (DSC).
• Expert Committee Liaison: Dr. Monagas serves as a crucial link between the dietary supplement industry and USP Expert Committee members. She facilitates communication and helps plan and organize the work assignments of these independent scientific experts.
• Pan-American Leadership: She is also responsible for the new USP Expert Panel on Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines for the Pan-American region. This role highlights her leadership in establishing quality standards across the Americas, supporting the congress’s focus on regional collaboration.

Academic Qualifications and Expertise of Maria Monagas

The academic background of Dr. Maria Monagas provides the robust scientific knowledge necessary for her work in the complex field of botanical ingredient analysis. Her advanced degrees in food science and biotechnology equip her with a specialized understanding of the chemical composition and processing of natural products. This foundation is essential for developing the analytical methods and quality criteria that define USP monographs.

Her education has provided her with a multidisciplinary perspective, combining chemistry, biology, and technology to address challenges in natural product characterization. Consequently, this training enables her to critically evaluate scientific data and lead the development of standards that are both scientifically sound and practical for industry implementation. Her qualifications include:

• PhD in Food Science and Technology: Awarded by the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain, this doctoral degree provided her with in-depth expertise in the chemical analysis and characterization of food and natural ingredients. This knowledge is directly applicable to identifying and quantifying active and marker compounds in complex botanical materials.
• MSc in Industrial Fermentation Technology: Obtained from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, United Kingdom, this master’s degree gave her specialized skills in biotechnology and fermentation processes. This background is valuable for understanding the production of certain botanical extracts and ingredients derived from microbiological sources.

Research Contributions and Publications of Maria Monagas

With over two decades of experience, Dr. Maria Monagas has built a substantial record of research focused on the analysis and characterization of botanical ingredients. Her scientific work is particularly concentrated on plants rich in polyphenols, a diverse group of compounds known for their biological activities and relevance to human health. This specialization has positioned her at the forefront of research into the quality and composition of many popular dietary supplements.

Her contributions to the scientific literature are significant, providing valuable data and insights for researchers, regulators, and industry professionals. Through her publications, she has helped to advance the understanding of complex botanical matrices and the development of analytical methods to ensure their quality. Her body of work underpins the evidence-based approach that is central to her role at USP and to the themes of the congress.

Dr. Monagas has contributed to more than 70 scientific publications. This extensive portfolio includes a range of formats, demonstrating her ability to communicate scientific findings to diverse audiences:

• Original research articles in peer-reviewed journals, which form the core of her scientific contributions.
• Book chapters that synthesize knowledge on specific topics related to botanical ingredients and their analysis.
• Industrial patents, reflecting her work’s applicability to the development of innovative products and processes.

Committee and Expert Panel Leadership

Dr. Maria Monagas plays a vital role in the governance and scientific decision-making processes at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Her work involves direct engagement with independent scientific bodies responsible for setting public health standards. This involvement is critical for ensuring that USP monographs are developed through a collaborative, transparent, and expert-driven process. Her activities in this area demonstrate a commitment to building consensus and upholding scientific integrity.

Her role as a liaison is central to the effective functioning of the USP’s standards-setting mission. By facilitating communication between industry stakeholders and volunteer experts, she helps ensure that the resulting standards are both scientifically rigorous and practically achievable. Therefore, this work is fundamental to maintaining the relevance and authority of the USP compendia.

Key responsibilities of Maria Monagas in this domain include:

• Expert Committee Liaison: She acts as a scientific liaison for USP Expert Committees, which are composed of independent volunteer experts from academia, industry, and government. She supports their work by providing scientific information, organizing meetings, and helping manage the process of monograph development and revision.
• Pan-American Expert Panel Management: Dr. Monagas holds responsibility for the new USP Expert Panel on Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines for the Pan-American region. In this capacity, she guides a group of regional experts in addressing specific challenges and opportunities related to botanical quality in Latin America, reinforcing the congress’s theme of South-South collaboration.

Further Information

Dr. Maria Monagas is a key scientific contributor at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), a global health organization that sets public standards for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. Her work on quality standards for botanical ingredients is integral to the USP’s mission to improve global health through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods.

For more detailed information on the specific monographs and General Chapters she has contributed to, please consult the official publications of the United States Pharmacopeia, including the USP-NF and the Dietary Supplements Compendium (DSC). Further details about the organization’s work can be found on their official website.