Dr. Raquel Campos Herrera PhD

• I have devoted my career to the study of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) as a model in the area of biological control and soil agroecology.

• During my PhD (2006, CCMA-CSIC, Spain) I studied both EPN and their symbiotic bacteria, providing a comprehensive molecular, biological and agronomical characterization of isolates from La Rioja (Spain). For first time, we showed the impact of heavy metal and agrochemical residues on the distribution of native EPNs in agro–ecosystems.

• In my first postdoctoral experience (CREC-UF, USA, 2008-2012), I developed a pioneer molecular system to evaluate EPN soil food webs. Its application probed, for example, how a new citrus management system alters the soil food web and the severity of a pest–disease complex, a critical issue with corrective measurements implemented now.

• During my experience in Switzerland (UniNe, 2013-2015), we explored the combined use of beneficial soil organisms (BSO) to enhance crop health and production. Among other results, we demonstrated that EPN can be combined with other BSO in wheat crops to achieve a positive impact.

• In Portugal (UAlg, 2015-2018), we expanded the knowledge on belowground multitrophic interactions, in particular how various entomopathogens (fungi, nematodes) and antagonists (free-living nematodes) interact with the pests in the rhizosphere community.

• In my current position as Ramón y Cajal fellow (ICVV-CSIC, 2018-2023) I lead the research group In-Vid, with the long term goal of improving production quality, guaranteeing stable yields and reducing our reliance on traditional agrochemicals. We use the vine as paradigm crop with the ambition of transferring the responses obtained to other farming systems. To reach this objective, we address two main research lines: (i) characterization of the functional biodiversity of vineyards under different ecological scenarios, and evaluation of multi-trophic interactions plant/pest-pathogen/biological control agent, and (ii) evaluation of the efficiency of habitat modification actions and development of innovative biological control tools based on biological control agents and other beneficial soil organisms. Overall, I pursue an open vision to both basic and applied questions to fulfill fundamental key gaps of knowledge in the area of Sustainable Agriculture and Crop Protection.

• During my whole scientific career, I have been awarded with national and international competitive fellowships/contracts (equivalent to 634.000 €): FPU (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, Spain, 2002–05), and I3P postgraduate (CSIC, Spain, 2006) for my PhD, and Ramón Areces Foundation (Spain, 2008–10), IOF Marie Curie Program (EU, 2010–13), Swiss National Science Foundation (Switzerland, 2013-15), IF Investigator FCT (Portugal, 2015-18), and Ramon y Cajal (Spain, 2018-23) for the postdoctoral period. Overall, I expend 10 months abroad as PhD student (CENSA, Cuba and INRA, France) and > 8 years (105 months) as postdoctoral research abroad (USA, Switzerland and Portugal). I acquired >180.000 euros as Principal Investigator (PI): two grants as PhD student (La Rioja Government, Spain), lab-grant IOF Marie Curie (EU), leader FCT Grant (Portugal), lab-grant in RyC (Spain), leader I-COOP+ (CSIC, Spain) and IER (La Rioja Government, Spain). Also, I have collaborated in 12 national/international projects (EU, USA, >1.8 millions euros). Currently, I am also transferring knowledge with the enterprise with one Technological Support Agreement.

• Chelkha, M., Blanco-Pérez, R., Bueno-Pallero, F.A., Amghar, S., El Harti, A., *Campos-Herrera, R. 2020. Cutaneous excreta of the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Haplotaxida: Lumbricidae) might hinder the biological control performance of entomopathogenic nematodes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 141, 107691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2019.107691.

• van den Hoogen, J., Geisen, S., Routh, D., Ferris, H., Traunspurger, W., Wardle, D.A., de Goede, R.G.M., Adams, B.J., Ahmad, W., Andriuzzi, W.S., Bardgett, R.D., Bonkowski, M., Campos-Herrera, R., Cares, J.E., Caruso, T., de Brito Caixeta, L., Chen, X., Costa, S.R., Creamer, R., da Cunha Castro, J.M., Dam, M., Djigal, D., Escuer, M., Griffiths, B.S., Gutiérrez, C., Hohberg, K., Kalinkina, D., Kardol, P., Kergunteuil, A., Korthals, G., Krashevska, V., Kudrin, A.A., Li, Q., Liang, W., Magilton, M., Marais, M., Rodríguez Martín, J.A., Matveeva, E., Mayad, E., Mulder, C., Mullin, P., Neilson, R., Nguyen, T.A.D., Nielsen, U.N., Okada, H., Palomares Rius, J.E., Pan, K., Peneva, V., Pellissier, L., Pereira da Silva, J.C., Pitteloud, C., Powers, T.O., Powers, K., Quist, C.W., Rasmann, S., Sánchez-Moreno, S., Scheu, S., Setälä, H., Sushchuk, A., Tiunov, A.V., Trap, J., van der Putten, W., Vestergård, M., Villenave, C., Waeyenberge, L., Wall, D.H., Wilschut, R., Wright, D.G., Yang, J., Crowther, T.W., 2019. Soil nematode abundance and functional group composition at a global scale. Nature, 7768, 194-198. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1418-6.

• Campos-Herrera, R., Blanco-Pérez, R., Bueno-Pallero, F.A., Duarte, A., Nolasco, G., Sommer, R.J., Rodríguez Martín, J.A., 2019. Vegetation drives assemblages of entomopathogenic nematodes and other soil organisms: Evidence from the Algarve, Portugal. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 128, 150-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.10.019.

• Jaffuel, G., Blanco-Pérez, R., Hug, A.-S., Chiriboga, X., Meuli, R.G., Mascher, F., Turlings, T.C.J., Campos-Herrera, R., 2018. The evaluation of entomopathogenic nematode soil food web assemblages across Switzerland reveals major differences among agricultural, grassland and forest ecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 262, 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.04.008.

• Campos-Herrera, R., Rodríguez Martín, J.A., Escuer, M., García-González, M.T., Duncan, L.W., Gutiérrez, C. 2016. Entomopathogenic nematode food webs in an ancient, mining pollution gradient in Spain. Science of the Total Environment, 572C, 312-323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.187.

• Campos-Herrera, R., Jaffuel, G., Chiriboga, X., Blanco-Pérez, R., Fesselet, M., Půža, V., Mascher, F., Turlings, T.C.J. 2015. Traditional and molecular detection methods reveal intense interguild competition and other multitrophic interactions associated with native entomopathogenic nematodes in Swiss tillage soils. Plant and Soil 389, 237-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2358-4.

• Campos–Herrera, R. (Ed.). 2015. Nematode pathogenesis of insects and other pests – ecology and applied technologies for sustainable plant and crop protection. Series: Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection., A. Ciancio (series Ed.). Vol 1, Springer, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 530 pp. ISBN 978-3-319-18265-0, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18266-7.

• Campos–Herrera, R., Pathak, E., El–Borai, F.E., Stuart, R.J., Gutiérrez, C., Rodríguez–Martín, J.A., Graham, J.H., Duncan, L.W. 2013. Geospatial patterns of soil properties and the biological control potential of entomopathogenic nematodes in Florida citrus groves. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 66, 163–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.07.011.

• Campos–Herrera, R., El–Borai, F.E., Stuart, R.J., Graham, J.H., Duncan, L.W. 2011. Entomopathogenic nematodes, phoretic Paenibacillus spp, and the use of real time quantitative PCR to explore soil food webs in Florida citrus groves. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 108, 30–39. IF 2011: 2.064 (Q1 Zoology, 23/146). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2011.06.005.

• Campos–Herrera, R., Gómez–Ros, J.M., Escuer, M., Cuadra, L., Barrios, L., Gutiérrez, C. 2008. Diversity, occurrence, and life characteristics of natural entomopathogenic nematode populations from La Rioja (Northern Spain) under different agricultural management and their relationships with soil factors. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 40, 1474–1484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.01.002.

Research projects and grants (as PI)

• Biological interactions between earthworms and rhizosphere components: characterizing multi-trophic interactions to improve biocontrol of insect pests. Programe I-COOP+ 2018 (CSIC)(COOPA20231), Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (CSIC) (Logroño, La Rioja, España). Financed: 24’000.00 €, 2019 – 2020

• Implementación de técnicas de secuenciación masiva de nueva generación para evaluar la salud del suelo en las viñas riojanas mediante el estudio de las comunidades edáficas de nematodos (IER Goverment of La Rioja, ref. Resolución 17/2019), Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (CSIC) (Logroño, La Rioja, España). Financed: 2’430.19 €, 2019 – 2020

• Soil Agroecology: characterizing multi-trophic interactions to improve biocontrol of insect pests. Associated financial support (RYC-2016-19939), Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (CSIC) (Logroño, La Rioja, España). Financed: 40’000.00 €, 2018 – 2023

• Mediterranean ecosystem as a model in the development of molecular and ecological approaches for the study of multitrophic interactions in the soil: ecosystem services and biocontrol enhancement (IF/00552/2014/CP1234/CT0007, FCT Portugal). Research location: Centro para os Recursos Biológicos e Alimentos Mediterrânicos (MeditBio), University of Algarve (Faro, Portugal), term: 3 years. Financed: 50’000.00 €, 2015 – 2020

• Molecular and ecological approaches to study soil food webs for enhancing biological control of insect pests and monitoring disturbances (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IOF-252980). Postdoctoral grant: European Union Program, Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship for Career Development. Research location: Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), University of Florida (Florida, USA) and Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias (ICA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), (Madrid, Spain). Term: 3 years. Financed: 241’719.70 € (73’719.70 € grant), 2010 – 2013

Contracts with Enterprises

• Evaluación de la virulencia de poblaciones autóctonas y comerciales de nematodos entomopatógenos frente a Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) y Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): estudio preliminar. KOPPERTt Biological Systems CIF B30557284. research location: ICVV-CSIC (Logroño, Spain); term: 3 months. Financed: 3’000.00 €, 2019–2020

Participation in international committees and representations

• Elected Board Member, European Society of Nematologist (ESN), 2018 – 2022

• Chair and Vice-chair elected Nematode Division, Society of Invertebrate Pathology (SIP), 2016 – 2020

• Secretariat of the Nematode Division, Society of Invertebrate Pathology (SIP), 2014 – 2016

• Member at large of the Nematode Division, Society of Invertebrate Pathology (SIP), since 2013

• Chair of the Entomophilic Nematodes Committee, Society of Nematologist (SON), 2011 – 2012

• Vice-chair of the Entomophilic Nematodes Committee, Society of Nematologist (SON), 2010 – 2011

Grant reviewer

• Agencia Nacional de Evaluacion y Prospectiva (ANEP, Spain): PTA-2019 (1), PTA-2018 (1), PN-2017 (1), 2017-PTA (2), 2016-PN.

• National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki), Poland, 2015

• Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica CONICYT, Chile, 2015

• BARD Research 2020, 2014, U.S.-Israel Joirn Science and Technology Program, 2014

• NWO Open program 2014, The Netherlands, 2014

• U.S.–Egypt Joint Science and Technology Program, de 2012.

Associate editor from scientific journals

• Frontiers in Plant Science: area Plant Biotic Interactions, since 2016

• Journal of Nematology, since 2016

Additional interests

• Support for the young woman in Science

Other activities and achievements/family

• Married and two-year old daughter

You can only see the contact information of the academics in the database if you are a registered user of AcademiaNet.
Please register here