After 22 years of dedicated service, Pablo Olivera is departing from the Department of Plant Pathology. He first joined the department in December 2002, moving from Uruguay to pursue a Ph.D. under the guidance of Professor Brian Steffenson. Upon earning his degree, Pablo became a postdoctoral research associate in Yue Jin’s lab at the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory (CDL), where he focused on wheat stem rust. His significant research and contributions to the department led to his appointment as Research Assistant Professor in 2017 and his promotion to Research Associate Professor in 2023 where he leads a research program on cereal rust pathology.
Pablo’s primary interest has been international agriculture, with a consistent focus on enhancing the well-being of farmers and rural communities in developing countries. He has achieved this through fostering international partnerships and conducting applied research. His work has been pivotal in addressing wheat stem rust, a re-emerging disease that poses a significant threat to global wheat production. Pablo has collaborated extensively with scientists at the CDL and various national and international partners to combat the threat of Ug99. He has played a key role in the global surveillance of the stem rust pathogen, monitoring its movements and detecting new variants within the Ug99 race group. His lab has also actively sought new sources of stem rust resistance in cultivated wheat and its wild relatives.
Beyond his research, Pablo has been deeply committed to capacity building, making over 25 trips to East Africa to support local research efforts and train international scientists. In addition to his international contributions, Pablo’s research has a local footprint. His lab has engaged in state-focused projects investigating invasive barberry and buckthorn species in Minnesota. These efforts include developing diagnostic markers for hybrid barberry and studying crown rust fungi associated with buckthorn.
Pablo will continue his scientific career at the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory as a Research Plant Pathologist. In this role, he aims to find solutions to prevent yield losses in wheat and barley due to leaf and stem rust. His research will focus on: 1) identifying and characterizing resistance in wheat and barley to stem rust and leaf rust; 2) incorporating combinations of rust resistance genes into adapted U.S. germplasm for breeding programs; and 3) improving resistance to Ug99 stem rust in U.S. wheat and barley by screening advanced breeding lines both in East Africa and the United States.
In his new position, Pablo will maintain a strong connection with the Department of Plant Pathology. As an Adjunct Faculty member, he looks forward to expanding research collaborations with department faculty and embracing teaching opportunities that arise.