Professor Joana Falcao Salles, a professor of Microbial Community Ecology at the University of Groningen, has been named as the newest winner of the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award.
The prize is part of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2025, which celebrate the brightest minds in the field and promote the research, group, projects, products and individuals who continue to help shape the future of applied microbiology.
READ MORE: Dr Helen Onyeaka named as winner of Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award 2024
The Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award targets professionals, researchers, and innovators who have made significant contributions to food safety, security, and sustainable agricultural practices. It celebrates their efforts in enhancing food production methods, addressing global hunger, and contributing to sustainable industrial processes, emphasising tangible impacts in these vital areas.
Agronomic engineering
Professor Joana Falcao Salles is known for her research on soil and host-associated microbiomes. She is an agronomic engineer (Brazil), with a PhD from Leiden University (Netherlands) and a postdoc in Lyon (France).
Her work integrates ecological theory with experimental and computational tools to explore how microbial diversity supports ecosystem resilience, disease suppression, and sustainable agriculture. She has advanced the field of microbial invasions and demonstrated how plant genotypes can promote beneficial microbial interactions, thereby reducing the need for chemical inputs.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration, Prof. Falcao Salles bridges microbiome ecology with sustainable agriculture, connecting fundamental science with practical solutions for farmers, policymakers, and the future of microbiome-driven sustainability.
Working together
Prof Falcao Salles has been a member of the executive board of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) since 2020 and has participated in and coordinated several European and national projects. Her team currently includes 13 PhD students, 3 postdoctoral researchers, and several master’s students. She has mentored more than 20 PhD students throughout her career.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award. This recognition underscores the significance and potential of soil and plant microbiomes in fostering sustainable food production,” she said.
“By uncovering how these hidden microbial networks contribute to soil health and crop resilience, we move closer to building agricultural systems that are both productive and environmentally responsible.
“I am grateful to my colleagues, collaborators, and students, whose dedication and creativity make this work possible. I look forward to continuing our collective efforts towards more resilient and sustainable food systems.”
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