Golnaz Salehipour-shirazi: Plant Physiology First Author

Golnaz Salehipour-shirazi, co-first author of “Rapid specialization of counter defenses enables two-spotted spider mite to adapt to novel plant hosts”

Current Position: IPM Manager, The Cronos Group

Education: BSc, Plant Protection, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
MSc, Agricultural Entomology, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
MSc, Biology (Physiology and Biochemistry), University of Western Ontario
PhD, Biology (Cellular and Molecular), University of Western Ontario

Non-scientific Interests: Rock climbing, Paddle boarding, Music, Baking

Brief bio: Being educated in plant protection and integrated pest management (IPM), I am an IPM specialist with extensive experience in controlling pests and diseases on agricultural and pharmaceutical crops. During my undergraduate studies, I was introduced to the world of insects (as well as plant diseases), their biology, behaviour and their interaction with plants. It was then when I decided to pursue studying these fascinating creatures. I spent more than a decade investigating different aspects of insect biology through my three graduate degrees: ecology (tritrothic interaction of spider mites with their host plants and predator, including the chemical interactions between them), physiology and biochemistry (effect of cold on the immune response of fruit flies), and molecular biology (mechanisms of spider mite adaptation to plant secondary metabolites). I am using all this knowledge to provide sustainable, financially efficient, and environmentally friendly pest management programs. Working in cannabis industry, I am proud of being able to use my scientific background in insect-plant interactions to provide pest- and pesticide-free products for patients and recreational users. You can find more detail about my graduate projects and work experience in my Linked-in profile: www.linkedin.com/in/golnaz-salehipour.