Dr. Fran Lopez-Ruiz’s journey into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research has taken him from clinics to crops. Starting his career in human transplantation, he transitioned into plant pathology, ultimately earning a PhD focused on AMR. Today, his work spans a wide range of resistance issues affecting multiple crops. Alongside his team, Dr. Lopez-Ruiz investigates resistance mechanisms, develops improved detection methods, explores new antimicrobial targets, and dedicates significant time to extension work, sharing best practices for resistance management with the agricultural sector.

Through his work with SAAFE, Dr. Lopez-Ruiz is investigating AMR in wine grape pathogens and working to develop enhanced anti-resistance management guidelines for the wine industry. With an exciting new project on the horizon, his team will apply similar approaches to the apple scab pathogen Venturia inaequalis. Collaborating with SAAFE CRC allows him to contribute at an interdisciplinary level, leveraging expertise from diverse fields to tackle AMR challenges more effectively.

While his lab days are behind him, Dr. Lopez-Ruiz remains deeply involved in research through writing and editing papers, reviewing data, and conducting outreach to promote effective fungicide resistance management. He believes AMR is entirely preventable and hopes to inspire greater awareness and proactive action within the agricultural community and beyond.

Outside of work, Dr. Lopez-Ruiz channels his creative energy into home renovations, embracing each project with the same persistence he brings to his research. Guided by his motto, “Try, fail, evolve, repeat,” he is always ready to tackle the next challenge. If given the chance, he’d love to sit down for dinner with Stephen Hawking or Brian Cox to discuss the mysteries of time and space—an exploration as fascinating as the fight against AMR.