Ana Laxalt
National University of Mar del Plata-CONICET
Argentina
View Statement
I am motivated to serve on the IS-MPMI Board because I believe it is time for Global South to take a more active role in shaping the future of plant-microbe interaction research. Scientists from Latin America and other underrepresented regions bring unique insights and strengths, and I am committed to fostering a more equitable, connected, and truly global MPMI community.
Based in South America, I am a professor and researcher specializing in plant immunity and signal transduction. I mentor undergraduate and doctoral students, and I regularly teach graduate-level courses for PhD programs across Argentina. My students have continued their training in leading laboratories around the world, where they are consistently recognized for their solid academic foundation and scientific curiosity.
I see the Society as a key platform to amplify diverse voices, support early-career scientists, and bridge knowledge gaps between regions with different levels of access to resources. I am strongly committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
My lived experience navigating academic leadership within a region often impacted by structural limitations has shaped my pragmatic and creative approach to advancing scientific excellence while promoting inclusion.
If elected, I will work to strengthen IS-MPMI’s role as a driver of collaboration and representation.
