Agricultural practices have disrupted environmental balance by expanding and altering the ecological niches of certain species—particularly invertebrates—some of which have become significant pests. Our group’s primary goals are to ensure the sustainability of existing pest control technologies and to develop innovative methods that minimize impacts on human health and the environment.

We are currently leading several research projects aimed at designing safer and more effective strategies for managing economically important pests. Our work focuses on the development of novel biopesticides, particularly those based on the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis and various families of viruses with high specificity against target pest species. These biological agents are foundational components of many Biological Control programs and can be seamlessly integrated with other measures in the framework of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

In parallel, we are investigating the molecular mechanisms that govern pest-pathogen interactions and the evolution of resistance to pesticides. Understanding the dynamics of these processes is crucial for developing strategies that prevent—or at least delay—the emergence of resistance, which poses a major threat to global food security.