Mark Angelo Balendres

Biography

Mark Balendres is a Professor at the Department of Biology of De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. He has 16 years of experience in plant pathology research, plant disease diagnosis, plant disease management, extension plant pathology, agricultural mycology, and community engagement. His research focuses on enhancing food security and food safety by identifying the causative agents of plant diseases in the tropics, investigating seed contaminants, elucidating factors associated with disease spread, and identifying sustainable control approaches for disease management. He has collaborated with national and international scientists and is the Head of the Plant and Soil Health Research Unit (DLSU PhytoHealth), where he also mentors undergraduate and graduate students. He also provides technical accompaniments to universities, research institutions, and other organizations seeking to enhance their faculty, staff, researchers, and students’ skills and knowledge on plant pathology, scholarly publication, and leadership. Mark has a PhD in Agricultural Science (Plant Pathology) from the University of Tasmania, Australia.

Awards