Guanajuato, Gto., a 08 de febrero de 2017.- Gender equity is a social aspect that is aimed for a professional equality between women and men. To remind us that is of vital importance that human beings –despite the gender—can make scientific research, which was instated the "International Day of the woman in science" to be celebrated next February 11th.

There are many women at the University of Guanajuato (UG) who dedicate to science and work every day in projects that directly impact in the social wellbeing, such is the case of Dr. Rebeca Monroy Torres, who is a researcher-professor of the Department of Medicine and Nutrition of the Division of Health Sciences of Campus Leon. In addition, she is responsible and founder of the Laboratory of Environmental Nutrition and Food Safety, place where she has developed research that bet on a healthier world.

On purpose of the "International Day of Women in science", Dr. Monroy commented that still are many challenges that they must face so the role of women in science reinforces. She indicated that the same women should position every time they visualize their scientific work, besides the ones they have when forming their own home and be heads of family.

She highlighted that the situation we currently live towards health in nutrition complicates every day, since there are several problems that are near extreme such as the coexistence with obesity and associated illnesses (diabetes, hypertension), but on the other hand, the presence of anemia and malnourishment, hence, it is important that women who work in the health area, use their tools to seek solutions to these diseases of metabolic matter and do so in team with men without any judgment. "The important is to recognize one another as human beings, in that way there will be division", she said.

Among her multiple research projects, she highlighted one that created together with the master degree student in Clinical Research, Antonio López, which was focused in food toxicity with the promotion of an adequate and local nourishment, in the community de Valencianita, in the city of Irapuato, with presence of arsenic in the water.

According the World's Health Organization (WHO), arsenic is a public health problem, and is usually present naturally in the underground waters of several countries and is highly toxic in its inorganic form, reason why it causes severe health damages, among them, cancer.

Considering this problem, they made field work in a TV Middle School where through several studies confirmed that the youth were exposed to arsenic through the water they drank while at school. To counter the negative effects caused by such act, Dr. Monroy together with her team promoted the administration of a multivitamin supplement besides an adequate and local nourishment, to compensate the damage caused by such metalloid.

It is worth mentioning that they don't seek that the supplement be the black thread, but facing the culture of low consumption of fruit and vegetables in the participant youth, they proceeded with the supplement to assure a percentage of the contribution of antioxidants as a first stage. Equally, they communicated the risk of consuming water polluted by arsenic as soon as they got the results, and they have taken some precautions and actions in the community, the parents for example, gave bottled water in every classroom.

Dr. Rebeca Monroy is an example of perseverance and commitment to science, besides generating research, she links the academic with reality by being in contact and making negotiation activities with several government dependencies, hospitals, shelters, schools, etc., and get them close to the students who work with her.

Besides being interested in food toxicity subjects, and part of her line of research "Environmental Nutrition and Food Safety", she also has research on cancer and preeclampsia in pregnancy, just to mention some. Actions as those of Dr. Rebeca Monroy, shows that women advance more and more towards an equity and an empowerment of the world of science.