Maria Nieves Garcia-Casal

Dr Maria de las Nieves Garcia-Casal (born 1962 in A Coruña, Galicia (Spain)), is the first nutritionist and first woman to lead the Latin American Society of Nutrition (SLAN) as its President during the period 2012 to 2015 She is currently the President of the Venezuelan Chapter of the Society for the period 2014–2016. Her research includes iron nutrition and also the assessment of marine algae as a source of food for humans.

She was the head of the Center of Experimental Medicine at Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Caracas, Venezuela. Currently she works as scientist at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Garcia-Casal has been awarded numerous national and international awards for her scientific contributions to health and nutrition. In 2009, Bengoa Foundation awarded Garcia-Casal a research award for her research in diabetes Fundacion Seguros Caracas