Fiordiligie Casilag

Lead researcher on the JPIAMR project "Repurposing disused antibiotics with immune modulators as antimicrobial strategy for respiratory tract infections", where we investigate the therapeutic potential of the administration of a TLR-4 agonist in combination with low-dose antibiotics against pneumococcal pneumonia.

Investigated molecular mechanisms of early host-pathogen interactions in Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a PhD student, and later continued on as a Postdoc.

Worked on the design and optimization of a robust protocol for the molecular detection of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovars in rice seeds used for germplasm exchange. The project was part of the Scientific Know-how and Exchange Program collaboration between Bayer CropScience and the International Rice Research Institute. The long-term goal had been relatively straightforward: make sure the none of the infected seeds ever make it to the field. I was in essence, the molecular plant pathologist equivalent of the guy responsible for running all the "crash tests" for cars: checking every possible way rice seeds may be handled, transported, stored, or even damaged, and validate with each step using an earlier designed multiplex PCR protocol if these seeds still contained any traces of infectious agents.