About Me

Dr. Francisco M. Ochoa-Corona is a Sarkeys Distinguish Professor at the Institute for Biosecurity & Microbial Forensics (IBMF) and the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University (OSU). Dr. Ochoa-Corona is a forensic plant pathologist specializing in developing and delivering reference diagnostics for exotic, naturalized, and indigenous plant viruses and other phytopathogens relevant to agricultural biosecurity and microbial forensics. His work applies to plant pathogens intercepted at borders or detected by general surveillance of field settings or within transitional facilities.

More recently, waterborne plant viruses, arthropods, animals, and public health. Dr. Ochoa-Corona investigates the use of plant pathogens as surrogates for biomedicine applications. Ochoa-Corona's research in plant pathology contributes scientific input to regulatory officials regarding plant health emergencies. It focuses on targeted forensic plant pathology aspects relevant to agricultural biosecurity in Oklahoma, the southern plains, the United States, and other regions, such as the South Pacific and Central and South America. Dr. Ochoa-Corona's former appointments include working at the Fundación Servicio para el Agricultor (FUSAGRI, Farmer Service Foundation) and Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV. He joined OSU in 2008 from the Investigation and Diagnostic Centre (IDC) at Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), where he was Principal Adviser Virology.