Wilmer Cuellar

Wilmer is a Senior Scientist focused on the study of plant diseases that impact food security, livelihoods and the environment in the tropics. He has pioneered at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT the application of our knowledge of the plant immune system for virus discovery and the use of molecular and nanotechnology for rapid identification of pathogens. His research extends to identify factors that drive the emergence of transboundary diseases affecting clonally propagated crops to make informed decisions and device strategies to protect these crops. Currently Wilmer leads the Virology Laboratory at the Americas Hub, and the Crop Protection Research Area of the Cassava Program (with laboratories in Laos and Colombia). He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Virology from University of Helsinki (Finland) and is one of the regional representatives of the International Committee for Plant Virus Epidemiology (ICPVE).