Profession:  Plant Pathologist

Current Position: Consultant, International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, The Philippines, Telephone: Office: +63 (2) 580-5600; 845-0563 ext. 2727, 2212; Mobile: +639178988147; FAX: +63 (2) 580-5699, 845-0606, 891-1292; Email:  C.VeraCruz@irri.org; nollie.veracruz@gmail.com

Education:

Ph.D.   1996      Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.A.                   Plant Pathology

M.Sc.   1984      University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines     Plant Pathology

 B.Sc.   1974       University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines     Agriculture (Microbiology)

Professional Positions (Since terminal degree):

01/2017-12/2017           Senior Scientist II, Plant Pathology, Lead, Host Plant Resistance Cluster, Genetics & Biotechnology, and Rice Breeding Platform, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

01/2011-12/2016           Senior Scientist II, Plant Pathology, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

01/2004-12/2010           Senior Scientist, Plant Pathology, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

03/2000-12/2003           Plant Pathologist, Entomology & Plant Pathology Div (EPPD), IRRI, Philippines

11/1998-02/2000           Consultant, Asian Rice Biotechnology Network, EPPD, IRRI, Philippines

06/1997-02/2000           Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, UPLB, Philippines

Professional Service and Synergistic Activities (Selected):

·        Member, Editorial Committee, Annual Review of Phytopathology (2016-2020)

·        Adjunct Associate Professor, Colorado State University, Dept of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, USA (2011-2013, 2014-2016, 2017-2019)

·        Adjunct Associate Professor, Charles Sturt University, Australia (2010-2014)

·        Review Editor, Frontiers in Plant-Microbe Interaction (2011-2013)

·        Member, Assessment Committee, PhD examination-Plant Pathology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (2002, 2011)

·        Associate Editor, Phytopathology, Journal of the American Phytopathological Society (2008-2011)

·        Member, External Examiner, Ph.D. Examination Committee, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium (2007, 2013)

·        Reviewer, Research proposal submitted to the call of ERA-NET Plant Genomics on “Structuring Plant Genomic Research in Europe”, ERA-PG Call Secretariat, The Hague, The Netherlands (2006)

·        Ph.D. Thesis Examiner, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh (2005 & 2006)

·        Member, Supervisory Committee, Graduate Council, Kansas State University, KS (2003-2004)

·        Member of the Graduate Faculty in Plant Pathology/Microbiology/Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, as Committee Co-Chair and Committee Member to Master Students, and as Committee Co-Chair and Member to Doctoral Students, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines (2006-2008, 2012 to present)

Research Interests:

Functional genomics of broad-spectrum disease resistance; Molecular host-pathogen interactions; Disease management (gene-based); Development of markers and application of marker-assisted selection in crop improvement; Population biology/structure of plant pathogen; Biodiversity & in-situ conservation; Root health in relation to aerobic rice; Seed health management related to Community Seed Bank and seed diagnostics

Professional Society Memberships:

New York Academy of Sciences; Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture; American Phytopathological Society; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Philippine Phytopathological Society (Life Member); Philippine Society for Microbiology (Life Member); Philippine Mycological Society; Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science; International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (Philippine Chapter)

Publications (As of March 2018):  

Peer-reviewed publications = 84;  Non-refereed technical publications/abstracts/paper-poster presentations = 106;  Book edited = 1;  Book chapter = 4;  Proceedings = 17;  Manual = 6

Graduate and undergraduate research students trained/mentored (number):

Ph.D. = 20;  M.S. = 16;  B.S. = 13