Personal profile
Research Focus
Luca is a Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Ph.D. researcher under Dr Fuquan Liu at Queens University Belfast, focusing on the biological control of the soil-borne pathogen ‘Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4’ or TR4, the causative agent of Fusarium wilt in banana plants. This disease is currently devastating global banana crop yields and poses a significant threat to regional and global economies. This research aims to take a sustainable approach by using manipulating native and beneficial soil microbiota to suppress pathogen activity and improve crop resilience.
As a part of this research, he collaborates as a technical specialist with industrial partner Sky East, currently designing and implementing several large-scale field trials in northern Peru and across Central America.
He received a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences from the University of Liverpool in 2024 where he completed a cancer-focused research project, specifically chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and the effects of chromosome 17p deletion on the expression levels of key tumour suppressor genes.