Marco Scortichini holds a degree in Agricultural Sciences. He is a Research Director dealing with plant pathology. In particular, he is involved in the characterization, epidemiology and control of bacterial phytopathogens. He has been involved in studies of some severe bacterial epidemics of fruit crops such as hazelnut and kiwifruit. Recently, he is studying aspects related to the epidemiology of Xylella fastidiosa in Salento (Apulia, Italy). He is member of scientific committees and has authored more than 350 scientific papers on plant pathogenic bacteria.

Giuliano Manetti graduated in 2019 with a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from “La Tuscia” University and soon after attended a traineeship at the Research Center NIAB EMR (UK), working on verticillium wilt of hops. In June 2020, he won a research fellowship at the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC) of Rome, where he focused on diagnostic methods, infection pathways and control strategies of some fungal pathogens of wheat. Since January 2022, he has been a Ph.D. student at the University of Rome “Sapienza”/CREA-DC, with a project that explores the serious decline syndrome of olive trees in the Apulia region (Italy) associated with various fungal microorganisms.

Angela Brunetti is a Researcher at the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC), Rome. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences (“La Sapienza” University, Rome) and a Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology ("La Tuscia" University, Viterbo). Her expertise is in molecular biology. Her current activities focus on diseases of plant woody species, with particular focus on the development and validation of diagnostic molecular methods, metagenomic analysis of wood microbiota and the study of disease resistance. She is in charge in the diagnostic laboratory DIALAB, accredited ISO 17025.

Valentina Lumia works as a Technician in the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC) Rome. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences (“La Sapienza” University, Rome). From 1997 to 2005, her work focused on plant virology, then her focus shifted to diseases of ornamental and fruit tree species with a fungal etiology. She an is expert in molecular biology techniques applied for the diagnosis, identification and characterization of fungal pathogens.

Lorenzo Sciarroni graduated in 2021 with a degree in Agro-Industrial Biotechnology from “La Sapienza” University of Rome. During that period, he attended a traineeship at the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC) of Rome, working on the effects of biostimulants/resistance inductors on kiwifruit plants. In September 2022, he earned a role as a Research Collaborator at CREA-DC of Rome, and he mainly focuses on fungal microorganisms associated with the decline syndrome of olive trees in the Apulia region and the decline of plane trees in Rome. Since 2022, he has been pursuing a Master’s degree in Food Science and Technology at “La Sapienza” University of Rome.

Massimo Pilotti graduated with a degree in Agricultural Sciences and obtained a Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from "La Tuscia" University, Viterbo (Italy). He is a Senior Researcher and works as a tree pathologist at the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC) Rome. His research focuses are on root, stem and branch diseases of ornamental and fruit tree species, with special attention to fungal etiology, including metagenomic investigations on the wood microbiota, selection for disease resistance, the study of disease resistance response and the development and validation of molecular diagnostic methods. He is a member of the European Mycological Network (EMN).