Wilmer Cuellar

Wilmer is a Senior Scientist focused on the study of microbiomes and plant diseases that impact food security, livelihoods and the environment in the tropics. He has pioneered the application of our knowledge of the plant immune system for virus discovery and the use of nanotechnology and microbiome information for the rapid identification of resistance-breaking pathogens. His research extends to identify factors that drive the emergence of transboundary diseases affecting clonally propagated crops to make informed decisions and device disease management strategies. 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), he is a regional representative of the International Committee for Plant Virus Epidemiology (ICPVE), a councilor of the International Society of Tropical Roots, Tubers and Bananas (ISTRTB) and member of the expert working group on Cassava Witches’ Broom Disease organized by the International Plan Protection Convention (IPPC).