Research Scientist at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture-CSIC; she is a plant pathologist specialized in microbial ecology. She has deeply contributed to molecular diagnosis (identification, detection and quantification) of plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria and nematodes) and to the study of the genetic diversity in their populations as well as to develop integrated and sustainable disease management practices. She also is applying NGS approaches to study the microbiome (fungi, bacteria and archaea) in different ‘ecosystems’ (soil, plant, food and gut). She has published over 80 peer reviewed papers and has coordinated more than 10 national and international research projects, authored three patents on specific diagnosis of plant pathogens and participated in organizing different scientific activities. She has recently acted as external expert in the audit DG (SANCO)/2014-7327 by the Food and Veterinary Office “Situation and official controls for Xylella fastidiosa in Italy”