Profile

Mr Francesco Valente
Research Student
Geoffrey Pope Mezzanine floor – M01 office
Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
Overview
I am a food scientist interested in plant-pathogens interaction and sub-cellular dynamics in plants.
I received my Bsc degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Perugia in 2012. I got my Msc with honours in Food biotechnology at the University of Perugia in 2015. During my bachelor I spent 6 months in Madrid (Spain) as an Erasmus student joining the Food Microbiology laboratory under the supervision of Prof. Fernando Calderon. During my final Msc year I joined Prof. Doohan’s Lab at the University College Dublin as a project student working in plant-microbe interaction, where I developed my interest in Molecular Plant Pathology.
I like travelling, photography and watch football when I am not in the lab.
Project
Project Title: Understanding the precision-guidance of secretion in plants using biophotonics and plant pathology
Supervisors: Dr Stefano Pagliara Dr Mike Deeks
Broad research specialisms
I am currently enrolled in a PhD degree in Molecular Plant Science with primary supervisor Dr. Michael Deeks, co-supervised by Dr. Stefano Pagliara, group leader of MicrofluidicsExeter.
Plant Biology, Plant Pathology, Molecular Plant Pathology, Microfluidics, High Resolution Microscopy
Qualifications
2015 Msc degree with honours in Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Italy.
2015 Advanced course in food safety, Catholic University of Milan, Milano, Italy
2013 The Umbra Institute, Perugia, Italy
2012 Bsc degree 2:1 in Food Science and Technology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
2014 Erasmus traineeship scholarship, University College Dublin, Dublin Ireland
2011 Erasmus student scholarship, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Research
Research interests
Project Title: Understanding the precision-guidance of secretion in plants using biophotonics and plant pathology
Supervisors: I supervisor Dr. Michael J Deeks
II supervisor Dr. Stefano Pagliara
III supervisor Prof. Nicholas Smirnoff
Funding Body: NERC/College of Life and Environmental Science
Project Description: I am interested in understanding the early plant immune response using pathogenic fungi and microfluidics technology.
Publications/Presentations
SEB 2017, Gothenburg Travel grant to attend the SEB annual meeting
IPMB2018 Montpellier, Travel fellowship
COB, Company of Biologist, Travel Grant to attend IPMB2018
Poster presentation “Sub-cellular responses of the wheat immune system to pathogenic fungi”
SEB (Society of Experimental Biology) membership
BSPP (British Society of Plant Pathology) membership
University of Exeter, CLEScon2017 committee