Home Institution: Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)

Host Institution: University of Florida

Award Name: Fulbright Visiting Scholar for Advance Research

Discipline: Plant Pathology

Award Year: 2023

Lourdes completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences at the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines in 2004. She is currently a Professor IV and a Researcher at the Department of Biology, College of Science, Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Lourdes research deals with the taxonomy and identification plant pathogenic fungi isolated from selected Philippine fruits.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Lourdes will spend 4 months at the University of Florida to conduct research on the genetic variation in Phytophthora palmivora RXLR effectors in isolates from East/Southeast Asia under the supervision of a plant pathology expert, Dr. Erica Goss, Associate Professor at the Plant Pathology and Emerging Pathogens Institute. The potential outcome of this study is uncovering of the genetic variation of P. palmivora RXLR effector gene in the East/Southeast Asian as compared to regions of the world. The information and knowledge that will be discovered in this research can serve as basis for the future development of intervention strategies in combating the infection of P. palmivora to cacao and other economically important crops worldwide.