Aurélie Bak

Aurélie Bak has extensive experience in the field of plant health and research. Aurélie currently works at KWS Group as a Senior Research Lead and KWS Ambassador, where they lead insect resistance activities and coordinates a network of internal and external stakeholders. Aurélie also develops long-term product development strategies and oversees budgeting and personnel.

Prior to this role, Aurélie worked at the University of California, Davis as a Project Scientist. Here, they developed culture methods for studying beneficial soil microbes, improved molecular detection methods for plant quality tests, and identified de novo viruses in trees. Aurélie also served as a Postdoctoral Associate at the university, where they led interdisciplinary teams in a government-funded program for improving drought tolerance in corn. Aurélie discovered a molecular mechanism in plants related to viral infection and collaborated with industry groups and growers to develop a pest control strategy.

Aurélie also has experience as a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Florida and completed their Ph.D. at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. During their Ph.D., they investigated the cellular mechanisms of virus transmission between plants and aphids and discovered that viruses can detect their insect vectors and prepare for transmission.

Aurélie Bak completed a Bachelor's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Strasbourg in 2008. Aurélie then pursued a Master's degree in Integrative Plant Biology at the University of Strasbourg from 2008 to 2010. Aurélie later obtained their PhD in Plant Pathology/Phytopathology from L'Institut Agro Montpellier, where they studied from 2010 to 2013.