Event Speakers

Elliot Heffner serves as Europe Regional Lead for Seed Product Development (SPD) at Corteva Agriscience, based in Geneva, Switzerland. He oversees the development of high-performing, locally adapted seed products across Europe, aligning innovative breeding strategies with regional market needs. Heffner holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University and a BS in Agroecology from Penn State University. He began his career in 2010 as a corn breeder at Pioneer, leading a 108 RM corn breeding program in Iowa for nine years, where he applied genomic selection to accelerate product development. He also partnered with Corteva’s data science and informatics team to create multi-crop breeding analytics and decision-support tools. In 2017, he became North America Corn Evaluation Zone Lead, and in 2019 he joined Corteva’s SPD Leadership Team, covering breeding programs in alfalfa, cotton, sorghum, and wheat. Since 2021, he has led Europe SPD, driving innovation and performance in agriculture through advanced breeding approaches.

Dr. Iban Eduardo Muñoz is a researcher at IRTA within the Genomics and Biotechnology program, based at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG). He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, with a specialization in plant genetics and domestication. His research focuses on the domestication of cultivated plants, marker-assisted breeding, and the genetic analysis of agronomic traits using advanced genomic tools. He has worked on crops such as melon, peach, and almond, applying molecular genetics, bioinformatics, and biotechnology for crop improvement. Dr. Muñoz is also committed to science communication and is the author of the popular science book Domesticated Plants and Other Mutants. 

Dr. Lorenzo León Moreno is a researcher at IFAPA’s Alameda del Obispo Center (Córdoba), where he coordinates the area of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. He studied Agronomic Engineering at the University of Córdoba, where he also earned his PhD, specializing in plant breeding and genetic improvement. Since 2009, he has led more than 30 research projects focused on olive breeding, aiming to develop new varieties adapted to modern cultivation systems, with early production, high yields, resistance to climate stress and diseases such as verticillium wilt, and improved oil quality. He has contributed to numerous scientific publications and actively participates in national and international research efforts promoting sustainable and climate-resilient olive production. 

José David Díaz Mohedano studied Agricultural Engineering and Oenology at the University of Córdoba (ETSIAM-UCO). He currently works as an agricultural engineer and enologist at Bodegas Lagar Blanco in Montilla, Córdoba. As co-founder of Inspira Rural, he champions rural revitalization by promoting gourmet products from small Córdoba producers and organizing technical training and agrotourism experiences. His initiative won the EMPRENDEUCO 2022 award for best entrepreneurial project in Córdoba province.

Francisco Javier Molina Hidalgo is a biologist and postdoctoral researcher in the BIO278 group at the University of Córdoba (Spain). His scientific work focuses on the molecular mechanisms regulating strawberry fruit ripening, a topic he began exploring during his PhD and continues to investigate today. He has carried out research stays at leading institutions such as the Technical University of Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Germany, and later worked at the Center for Plant Systems Biology (PSB-VIB) in Ghent, Belgium. His current research also includes the study of interactions between olive trees and fungal pathogens. 

Francisca Herrera Molina is an Agricultural Engineer (PhD, University of Córdoba) specializing in plant conservation and sustainability. Since 1998, she has worked on projects ranging from the use of urban solid waste in agriculture to the conservation of threatened wild species. She currently serves as the Lead Technician at the Andalusian Plant Germplasm Bank (BGVA), managed by the Junta de Andalucía and the Real Jardín Botánico de Córdoba. Her research and teaching focus on Mediterranean horticulture, agricultural ecosystems, seed technology, germplasm conservation, and the restoration of threatened plant species. She has contributed to national and European conservation networks, as well as to key references such as the Atlas and Red Book of Threatened Vascular Flora of Spain. Her work has enabled the preservation and viability of numerous wild species, combining scientific rigor with her passion for making research accessible and collaborative.

María Castellanos Vicente is an artist and researcher whose work explores the intersection of art, technology, and plant life. With a PhD in Fine Arts from the University of Vigo, she has focused her research on cyborgs and wearable technologies as tools to expand human sensory perception. In recent years, her practice has centered on creating innovative systems that enable communication and understanding between humans and plants, opening new dialogues between the biological and the technological. She has been a postdoctoral researcher at Oslo Metropolitan University within the project Futures of Living Technologies (FeLT), and her work has been exhibited internationally at renowned festivals and institutions such as Ars Electronica (Austria), Pompidou-Metz (France), and Matadero Madrid (Spain). Through her transdisciplinary approach, Castellanos contributes a unique perspective to plant-related research, fostering new ways of thinking about interspecies relationships and the role of art in addressing sustainability and the future of life.

Alberto Valverde is an artist and technologist whose work explores the intersections of art, science, and technology. With a background in multimedia design, robotics, and interactive systems, he has taught at the University of Vigo and developed projects that combine digital creativity with experimental approaches to human–environment interaction. Since 2009, he has collaborated with María Castellanos as part of the artistic duo uh513. Together, they create innovative works that investigate interspecies communication, particularly between humans and plants, through wearable technologies, sensing systems, and biointerfaces. Their projects, such as The Plant Sense, have been recognized internationally, receiving awards including the VERTIGO STARTS Prize (EU Horizon 2020). Valverde’s practice brings a technological and experimental perspective to contemporary debates on sustainability, plant life, and the future of human–nonhuman relationships.

Paco Calvo is a cognitive scientist and philosopher of biology, internationally recognized for his pioneering research on plant cognition and intelligence. He is Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Murcia, Spain, where he directs the Minimal Intelligence Lab (MINT Lab). His interdisciplinary research explores how plants perceive, process information, and adapt to their environment, integrating approaches from biology, philosophy, and cognitive science. By investigating plant decision-making, learning, and problem-solving, Calvo’s work challenges traditional views of intelligence, expanding our understanding of cognition beyond the animal kingdom. He is also the author of Planta Sapiens (2023), in which he presents scientific evidence that plants can learn, remember, communicate, and make decisions, suggesting they possess forms of intelligence and consciousness. Through his studies and writing, Calvo has become a leading voice in redefining the boundaries of mind and intelligence, inspiring new ways of thinking about plant life and its role in the broader scientific and philosophical landscape.

Dr. in Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, where he completed his doctoral thesis between 1985 and 1989 on the cloning and sequencing of the genomic RNA of the tobamovirus TMGMV, under the supervision of Fernando García Arenal. From 1989 to 1996, he worked on the genetic improvement of sunflower at Agrar Investigación S.A. and Interdor Ibérica S.L. In 1996, he began teaching at the EUITA in Seville as an associate professor of herbaceous crops. Since 1998, he has combined teaching with the technical direction of Agrovegetal S.A., specialised in the development of new varieties of wheat and cereals.

Dr. Francisco Barro Losada is a CSIC Research Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS-CSIC) in Córdoba. He earned his PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Córdoba, followed by postdoctoral work at Rothamsted Research and the John Innes Centre in the UK, as well as the University of Minnesota in the USA. Since joining IAS-CSIC in 1996, he has been a pioneer in applying cutting-edge biotechnology techniques—including RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas—to develop high-value cereal varieties. His groundbreaking research focuses on creating gluten- and gliadin-reduced wheat and barley strains suitable for individuals with celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance, with some wheat lines showing 90–95% lower immunogenicity and maintaining traditional bread quality.

Natalia Urzúa holds a degree in Biological Sciences and a PhD in Agriculture. She has over a decade of experience in the seed industry, with a strong focus on regulatory affairs in agricultural biotechnology. After eleven years working in Chile, she is now based in Spain, where she contributes to ANOVE’s work on biotechnology regulation and plant health issues at the European level. 

Agricultural Engineer (Polytechnic University of Valencia, 2003). He completed his doctoral thesis on resistance mechanisms in legumes against parasitic plant attacks (University of Córdoba, 2009), with research stays at the Max Planck Institute and the University of Hannover to deepen his understanding of the application of technologies based on gene expression. He worked for five years in the U.S. Department of Agriculture developing genomic data analysis tools for integration into the blueberry breeding program. He is currently a Ramón y Cajal researcher in the Department of Genetics at UCO.

Dr. Cubero Salmerón is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding at the University of Córdoba and holds an affiliated research position at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS‑CSIC). He earned a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. A pioneer in the field of plant genetics and breeding, Dr. Cubero established the legume research group at the University of Córdoba and has conducted extensive work on the improvement of crops such as faba bean and chickpea. He has served as Chair of the Advisory Board at ICARDA and was President of the Spanish Society of Genetics from 1999 to 2002. He is the author or co-author of over 430 scientific publications and was awarded the National Genetics Prize in 2012 for his outstanding contributions to applied genetics. He is also known for promoting science communication and for introducing the subject of Agricultural History into Spanish agricultural education in the 1980s.