Welcome to another edition of the Robigalia Roundup!
If you’re new here, Robigalia is your weekly roundup of the latest research, researchers, scholarships, and opportunities in plant pathology globally. Make sure you’re a subscriber to have these opportunities and events delivered directly to your inbox every Monday.
NOTES FROM THE HOST
Hello {{first_name | Robigalia readers}},
If you can believe it, Robigalia has been running for over a year and a half now. If you’ve been a member since the start, you would have seen the weekly editions evolve a lot over time.
About a year ago, I introduced the research student of the week section, highlighting the amazing work of plant pathology research students from around the world.
As 2025 comes to an end (already), I’m putting the call out for the next round of plant pathologists to be featured in the newsletter.
Through the newsletter and socials, these features will put you in front of ~8,000 plant pathologists from over 40 countries.
If you haven’t been featured in the newsletter before, now is your chance!
Complete the Google Form with your details, and I’ll be in touch with the next steps 👇
Now, onto this week’s edition:
I share updates on diagnostic tools developed for the detection of cacao diseases
I introduce a recent Master’s graduate from the National University of Colombia
I highlight scholarships and jobs that are closing soon
Let’s dive in!
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Progress on diagnostic tools for the detection of cacao diseases
Laura Valentina Laverde-Arias et al., Nested PCR methodology for early detection of Lasiodiplodia sp. and Ceratocystis sp. in avocado and cocoa seedling samples
Sara Pereira Menezes Reis et al., Genome-Wide Analysis of Moniliophthora roreri Facilitates the Development of Species-Specific Primers for Biomonitoring Frosty Pod Rot of Cacao
Tahira Batool et al., Application of machine learning to screen hyperspectral data of cacao plants to identify cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV)
RESEARCH STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Meet Laura Valentina Laverde
This week, I’m happy to introduce you to Laura Valentina Laverde, a recent Master’s graduate from the National University of Colombia.
Growing up in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, Laura’s interest in plant pathology began during her walks through the parks, where she noticed some trees with leaf spots and wondered whether they were diseased. Later, through her plant pathology courses during her microbiology undergraduate degree at university, she was fascinated by how diseases develop in crops and how plants defend themselves against infections.
This interest led Laura to pursue her Master’s in plant pathology at the National University of Colombia. For her Master's thesis, Laura developed an early detection test for Ceratocystis and Lasiodiplodia in cocoa and avocado seedlings. The test is designed to verify the safety of grafts and propagation material before establishing a plantation, as these fungi cause symptoms only in the late stages of infection.
you learn more from your mistakes than from achieving perfect results
Laura is particularly proud to have designed a diagnostic test that helps farmers avoid losing productive plants in their crops, and to have taught a course on cocoa diseases to researchers from France and Costa Rica. For our Spanish-speaking readers, more details of the course can be found here!
Laura’s advice to other plant pathologists is “you learn more from your mistakes than from achieving perfect results”
Laura also enjoys a challenge outside of academia, having climbed the third-highest volcano in Guatemala to see an active volcano up close!
Be sure to connect with Laura to keep up to date with her amazing research 👇
OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS
New plant pathology opportunities are listed below. For the full list of live opportunities and events, head to my Opportunities and Events Board using the buttons below.
Scholarship Highlights
Vanishing Virulence: Investigating pathogenicity loss in a plant pathogenic fungus. The Sainsbury Lab, Closes December 2, 2025
AI-based plant-pathogen interface engineering, University of Oxford, Closes January 8, 2026
Job Highlights
Team Lead Molecular Phytopathology, Rijk Zwann, apply ASAP
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, Closes December 1, 2025
Event/Seminar Highlights
10th Stromlo Plant Pathology Conference 2025, Canberra, Australia, November 27, 2025 → November 28, 2025
Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, May 11, 2026 → May 12, 2026
MEME OF THE WEEK
THAT’S A WRAP
Before you go: here are 3 ways we can help each other
1) List a scholarship, job, or event in Robigalia — We help you advertise your opportunity or event to a global network of plant pathologists for free.
2) Book a Robigalia coaching call — Whether it’s career advice, assistance with an application or general advice, you can check my schedule to book in some time with me.
3) Support Robigalia - Support the ongoing production and distribution of the Robigalia newsletter through Patreon.
See you next Monday
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P.S. Why Robigalia? The name originates from the Ancient Roman festival dedicated to crop protection. You can read all about the history here: