Melissa Uribe Acosta, council member

About my research

I study the genetic basis of co-evolution between plant hosts and their microbiomes, with a focus on how these interactions shape plant resistance to insect pests. My research combines plant genetics and microbial genomics to identify microbial traits that promote beneficial outcomes.

During my PhD at Utrecht University, I investigated the influence of host genotype on root microbiome assembly using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana as well as several wild and cultivated relatives from the Brassicaceae family. In my postdoctoral research at Wageningen University & Research, I am assessing microbial candidates that show signs of co-evolution with Brassicaceae plants. Through microbial genomics, I aim to identify key functions that predict a microbe’s—or a microbial consortium’s—capacity to induce resistance against aphids.

Since summer 2025, I have been part of the EPS Postdoc Council, contributing to career-focused events and council communications.