Presentation

Confirmed speakers

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• Dr Italo Delalibera Júnior, University of São Paulo - BR

  

  Dr Italo Delalibera Júnior

   

  University of São Paulo
  Address: Av. Pádua Dias 11 Bairro Agronomia 13418-900

  Email: delalibera@usp.br
  Phone: (+) +55 19 34294112
   

  Dr Italo Delalibera Jr. is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Acarology at the University of São Paulo in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil. Ph.D. in Entomology at Cornell University (1998-2002) and post-doctorate research associate at the University of Wisconsin (2002-2003). His leading research is on microbe-arthropod interactions, with an emphasis on microbial control of agricultural pests. He is the director of the EMBRAPII unit (Brazilian Company for Industrial Research and Innovation) on Biocontrol and biotechnological processes for the sustainable management of agricultural pests; and also the principal investigator on microbials of the SPARCBio, the São Paulo Advanced Research Center on Biological Control.

  Large-scale adoption of biological control fosters Brazil's transition to more sustainable agriculture.

  Brazilian agriculture has been undergoing significant transformations that have increased productivity and efficiency due to technological innovations based on advances in artificial intelligence, automated machines, robotics, 5G, and IoT applied to digital agriculture. One of the areas of most remarkable change has been the large-scale adoption of biological control, fostering the transition to more sustainable agriculture. The large-scale adoption of biological control to manage pests, diseases, and nematodes is due to many factors. A regulatory system has facilitated microbial solutions to provide alternatives to organic agriculture or replace synthetic pesticides. Procedures and legislation have been implemented to meet the unique requirements of biopesticides and to speed up the registration process. Universities and Science and technology institutes have played an important role in developing new products and processes through partnerships with startups, small and medium-sized local companies. These changes have brought greater diversification of new technologies, of comparatively low toxicity, to the farmers. The new biological solutions offer opportunities to reduce the impacts of agriculture on the environment. High adoption of microbial control into field crops and cereals is being observed. Although the market for biopesticides is still small, the future is promising.
   

• Prof. Simon Elliot, Federal University of Viçosa - BR

  

  Prof. Simon Elliot

   

  Address: Department of Entomology,
  Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG Brazil
  Email: selliot@ufv.br
   

  I am a biologist originally from the UK (BSc Southampton, MSc Bristol, PhD Imperial), having worked at EMBRAPA and the Universities of Amsterdam, Gloucestershire and now Viçosa. I have worked on arthropod-pathogenic fungi for classical and inundative biological control programmes (cassava green mite and locusts) and more recently on fungi associated with leafcutter ants. I have interests in insect defences against pathogens (whether physiological or behavioural), and also ecological interactions involving insects, plants and microorganisms plus ecosystem services provided by entomopathogens.

  The fungal order Hypocreales as a toolbox for biological control

  The fungal order Hypocreales harbours insect pathogens, mutualistic endophytes and mycoparasites, among others, and its evolutionary history is characterized by shifts in life style along branches. Thus, fungi associated with insects may also interact in interesting ways with plants or with other fungi. An insect pathogen such as Metarhizium may be as much an endophyte as it is an insect pathogen, or a mycoparasite such as Trichoderma may also be endophytic and have the potential to protect plants against insects. I will briefly introduce this group of fungi and highlight some possible ways in which they may be harnassed to protect crops from insect herbivores.

• Prof. Éverton Fernandes, Federal University of Goiás - BR

  

  Prof. Éverton Fernandes

   

  Universidade Federal de Goiás

  Address: UFG, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Avenida Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil, 74690-900.

  Email: evertonkort@ufg.br

  Phone: (+55) 62 3209-6118

  Éverton Kort Kamp Fernandes is and Associate Professor of Parasitology at the UFG, and a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) of Brazil. His main research interest is the biological control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi, with emphasis in fungal formulation, efficacy of bioproducts, tolerance of entomopathogenic fungi to environmental stresses, and defence mechanisms of ticks to fungal infection. He hods a degree in Veterinary Medicine, and a master's and PhD in Veterinary Science from Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. Éverton is on the editorial board of BioControl since 2019 as Associate Editor.

  Biological control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi: past and future

  Entomopathogenic fungi against ticks have been intensively investigated in the last decades, especially because tick resistance to chemical acaricides has increased very drastically. The effective use of entomopathogenic fungi for tick control, however, remains puzzling, and no product is currently registered in Brazil. The development of an appropriate formulation of fungi for tick control is necessary to enhance the natural tolerance of fungal propagules to abiotic stresses and keep them viable on the skin and fur of infested animals or on the vegetation. Strategies for improving the efficacy of fungi against ticks are the focus of many studies, and conidial formulation in mineral or vegetable oil or oil-in-water emulsion has provided encouraging results. Additionally, fungal propagules other than conidia, such as blastospores and microsclerotia, have demonstrated high efficacy against ticks; however, adequate formulations of these propagules are still desired, as well as the creation of effective strategies for bioproduct application, which may vary according to the target tick species. In fact, a well-designed integrated program, with use of multiple-effective control strategies, seems to be the best approach to minimize the tick burden in infested animals or environments.

• Dr Rodrigo Guabiraba, Infectiology and Public Health (ISP) / Centre INRAE Val-de Loire, University of Tours - FR

  

  Dr Rodrigo Guabiraba

   

  Centre INRAE Val-de Loire, UMR ISP
  Address: 37380, Nouzilly
  Email: rodrigo.guabiraba-brito@inrae.fr
  Phone: +33 02 47 42 73 10

  I am an immuno-pharmacologist (PhD) and senior research scientist at the INRAE (Val de Loire). My research focuses on identifying and characterizing mediators of inflammation and the role of the intestinal microbiota in the chicken mucosal immune response to influenza virus along the “gut-lung axis”. Host’s effector mechanisms necessary to deal with infection are not necessarily the same that will exacerbate inflammation and drive disease. We thus aim to provide solid rationale on how mediators of inflammation and metabolites produced by the gut microbiota regulates immune functions at mucosal sites, therefore contributing to optimal viral clearance or to unwanted inflammation.

  Trying to finance comparative immunology across the Atlantic Ocean

  The field of comparative immunology, which explores the immune mechanisms across different species, holds immense potential for advancing our understanding of immune responses in livestock and improving animal health. Despite these rich scientific legacies, contemporary challenges persist in securing adequate financial support for research in this discipline. Factors such as limited funding availability, competing priorities, and the complex nature of livestock immunology research pose immense hurdles. This lecture will delve into exploring strategies and potential collaborations that can foster sustainable funding models for comparative immunology research in livestock species. By addressing the challenges faced in the context of Brazil and France, this lecture seeks to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration, fostering a vibrant scientific community that advances our knowledge of livestock immunology, ultimately benefiting animal welfare, agricultural productivity, and global health.
   

• Dr Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly, iEES Paris, INRAE, CNRS, Sorbonne University - FR

  

  Dr Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly

   

  iEES Paris, INRAE, CNRS, Sorbonne University 

  Address: INRAE, route de Saint-Cyr, 78026 Versailles cedex, France

  Email: Emmanuelle.joly@inrae.fr
  Phone: (+) 33 (0)1 30 83 32 12
   

  INRAE senior scientist, I lead the Sensory Ecology department of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris. My research focuses on insect chemoreception in a context of plant protection. My objectives are to decipher the molecular mechanisms of olfaction and taste, to study the contribution of chemoreception to insect adaptation, with the final aim to develop innovative biocontrol solutions against harmful insects. My group works in an international context, with the establishment of an international associated laboratory with the Institute of Plant Protection in China (CAAS, Beijing) where I have been appointed Guest Professor. I am also a corresponding member of the French Academy of Agriculture. 

  Reverse chemical ecology targeting insect odorant receptors: new avenues for pest control

  Odorant receptors (ORs) are transmembrane proteins expressed in animal olfactory sensory neurons. They are at the core of odorant detection since they recognize odorants and trigger a neuronal response that will be transmitted to the central nervous system, leading to specific behaviors. Interfering with OR functioning thus appears as a promising solution to disturb pest insect behavior. The so-called “reverse chemical ecology” or “molecular chemical ecology” approaches propose to use OR-ligand and/or OR-sequence characteristics to identify potential new ligands via a combination of modelling and experimentation. These approaches have the potential to accelerate the discovery of new OR agonists/antagonists. As a proof-of-concept, we targeted ORs from a crop pest moth, the cotton leafworm. Ligand-based virtual screening coupled to experimental validation led us to extend the range of semiochemicals active at the receptor and the behavioural levels. 
  Our work opens new routes for i) odorant receptor function analysis, ii) a better understanding of insect odor space, and iii) the development of novel behavioural disruptors for pest insect control.
   

• Prof. Claudio Lazzari, Insect Biology Research Institute (IRBI), University of Tours / CNRS

  

  Prof. Claudio Lazzari

   

  University of Tours - IRBI

  Address: Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France

  Email: claudio.lazzari@univ-tours.fr

  Phone: (+33) 06.82.38.43.88

  Born in Argentina, studied biology in Argentina and Germany. Currently Professor at the Universities of Tours (Frande) and Buenos Aires (Argentina; Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (UK). Specialised in animal behavioural physiology and sensory ecology, his research activities focus on the study of the adaptations to the haematophagous life of arthropods, using an integrative approach. The research models include mosquitoes, kissing bugs, lice, ticks and other blood-sucking groups, developing his research at the Research Institute in Insect Biology (IRBI-UMR7261-CNRS).

  How to feed on blood without dying in the process

  Vertebrate blood is highly nutritious and otherwise sterile, except for the possible presence of parasites. This has led many animals, especially arthropods, to adopt it as their main or even sole food source. However, feeding on blood is a risky task that requires specific morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations to overcome several major problems associated with the haematophagous lifestyle. One of them is that this potential food is not freely available in nature, but circulates in vessels hidden under the skin of mobile vertebrate hosts that are able to defend themselves or even prey on blood-sucking arthropods. On the other hand, the rapid ingestion of relatively large amounts of warm fluid exposes haematophagous animals to thermal and oxidative stress, which can be detrimental to the organism itself, its symbiotic biota and the parasites it transmits. Some important adaptations that allow blood-sucking animals to cope with these problems have been elucidated, providing a new perspective on haematophagous physiology and behaviour, with some implications for disease vector control. During the talk, we will discuss how the strong selective pressures that haematophagous have faced throughout their evolutionary history have modelled unique adaptations associated with this particular lifestyle.
   

• Prof. Joanna Souza Fabjan, Fluminense Federal University - BR

  

  Prof. Joanna Souza Fabjan

   

  Fluminense Federal University
  Address: Mario Santos Braga street, 30 - Centro, Niterói city, Rio de Janeiro state, 24020-140, Brazil

  Email: 
  Phone: (+) 55 21 99391-0792
   

  Joanna Souza-Fabjan graduated in Veterinary Medicine, earned a MS in Animal Science, and a DSc degree from the Ceará State University, Brazil, and INRAE, France in the field of reproductive physiology and biotechnology. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the Veterinary School of Fluminense Federal University, in Brazil, where she got a permanent position as Professor in 2017. Her research interests have been revolving around reproductive biotechnologies in farm animals and her studies have been supported by major Brazilian funding agencies. 

  Brazilian funding programs for partnership with France: CAPES Cofecub and Capes Print

  Reproductive biotechnologies are essential tools for enhancing the multiplication of genomes from superior animals, improving animal protein production, advancing scientific knowledge, and developing innovative biomedicine technologies using animal models. Although it is a fascinatingly important topic, searches for funding are far from simple; they need to be frequent and tireless, to make our students' research viable. International scientific collaborations are remarkably advantageous for individual researchers and nations. They positively impact research outcomes, knowledge exchange, and international visibility. During the talk, I will share my experience of current and previous scientific collaborations between France and Brazil and encourage the audience to explore opportunities for cooperation by seeking new financial opportunities.

   

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