Our External Expert Advisory Board (EEAB) unites leading experts in plant health, agroecology, and EU policy, alongside specialists in biotechnology, agronomy, and sustainability. The Board provides independent guidance, reviews progress, and verifies milestones to ensure the project stays scientifically robust and policy-relevant. By aligning innovation with the real needs of citrus growers and stakeholders, the EEAB helps maximize the project’s impact across Europe.
Dr. Viviane Cordovez is a senior scientist in the Department of Microbial Ecology at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). Her research focuses on the diversity and functions of plant-associated microorganisms, particularly those inhabiting the phyllosphere of native and cultivated plants. She integrates culturomic, metabolomic, and genomic approaches to understand how these microorganisms influence plant growth and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Her broader goal is to promote sustainable land use through microbiome-based strategies.
Diego Orzaez is a researcher at the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and leader of the Plant Synthetic Biology Lab at the Institute of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP, Valencia, Spain). He created the GoldenBraid cloning system and co-proposed the first DNA assembly standards for plant synthetic biology. He has co-authored over 90 scientific papers, co-invented several patents, coordinated two large EU projects, led multiple industry collaborations, and co-founded the spin-offs Madeinplant SL and Naplatech SL in plant biofactories and metabolic engineering.
Gianni Galaverna is full professor of Food Chemistry and head of the Department of Food and Drug at the University of Parma as well as vice-President of FOODER – Food University of Emilia-Romagna (Parma, Italy). His research focuses on the application of advanced omics approaches to study the interactions of chemicals with living systems and their role in different biological signalling pathways, with a particular focus on the investigation of plant-pathogen cross-talk. He has co-authored over 220 scientific papers, being involved as PI in several EU and National projects.
I am a group leader at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany since 2018. Trained as an agronomic engineer, I earned my PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain, and completed postdoctoral research in Spain, Germany, and at UC Berkeley as a Marie Curie Fellow. Research in my lab focuses on understanding and engineering plant cell wall biology, with a particular emphasis on hemicelluloses, complex polysaccharides that represent a major carbon sink in plants. By combining plant biology, synthetic biology, and biotechnology, the group aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying cell wall biosynthesis and to harness this knowledge for the development of sustainable biomaterials and renewable resources. For more information please visit: https://www.plant-cell.hhu.de/
Associate professor working on the adaptive physiological, metabolic and molecular responses of plants to multiple stress conditions, focusing on the combination of abiotic and biotic stresses and a particular emphasis on integrative approaches to identify key genes involved in the regulation of tolerance responses. His research interests include hormonal signaling and the effects of priming in plant physiology and biochemistry. Has authored more than 100 papers (h-index of 44) and has participated in several National and EU-funded projects as principal investigator and coordinator, respectively.
Pilar García is Head of the Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products at IPLA-CSIC. Her research focuses on bacteriophages and phage-derived proteins as antimicrobial agents for food safety and human therapy. Her group studies their ability to control pathogenic bacteria and biofilms in food, farm, and hospital environments. She has led 18 research projects, co-authored over 130 scientific papers, co-invented patents, and led multiple industry collaborations.