Institute for Biosecurity & Microbial Forensics

Dr. Francisco M. Ochoa Corona is a Professor at the Institute for Biosecurity & Microbial Forensics (IBMF) and the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, since August 2008. Dr. Ochoa Corona is a forensic plant pathologist specializing in the development and delivery of reference diagnostics for exotic, naturalized, and indigenous plant viruses, as well as other phytopathogens relevant to agricultural biosecurity and microbial forensics. His work applies to plant pathogens waterborne plant viruses, and recently, to animal, public health, and to insects and arthropods that can be intercepted at borders or detected through general surveillance of field settings, or within transitional facilities. Ochoa Corona's research contributes scientific input to regulatory officials regarding plant health emergencies and focuses on targeted aspects of forensic plant pathology that are relevant to agricultural biosecurity in Oklahoma, the southern plains, the United States, and other regions of the world, such as the South Pacific and Central and South America. Dr. Ochoa Corona joined OSU from the Investigation and Diagnostic Centre (IDC) at Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ), a branch of the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), formerly Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), where he served as Principal Adviser in Virology.

Research Interests:

The research in my laboratory focuses on developing, innovating, and improving tools for collecting microbial specimens applicable in biosecurity and microbial forensics. I lead my team in developing and improving detection, discrimination, and diagnostic platforms for microbes and insects. My research also aims to identify molecular landmarks and signatures of value for detection, as well as the implications of this genetic data on taxonomic relationships, including host-pathogen associations, waterborne plant viruses, arthropods, animals, and public health. Also, the use of plant pathogens as surrogates for biomedicine applications. My research output is applied to regional pests overseas, regulated organisms, select agents, or high-consequence microorganisms. My team has been developing solutions for wheat and Poaceae crops, citrus, grapevines, pome fruit trees, roses, chrysanthemums, ornamentals, and addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. My research program is also interested in developing decision-support tools for prioritization, emergency management, and the prediction of biosecurity threats. We are also interested in monitoring the dynamics of relevant plant pathogens, tracking their pathways and global dispersal routes, and delimiting their biogeographic distribution.

Research Philosophy:
The way I understand and teach research defines "Invention as the occurrence of an idea for a new product or process, while innovation is the attempt to carry it out into practice" (Jan Fagerberg, Innovation: A Guide to the Literature": "The Many Guises of Innovation: What we have learned and where we are heading", Ottawa, October 23- 24, 2003). Therefore, I distinguish innovation from invention, and understand both are dynamic, time-lapsed core-complementing processes of creativity. The invention is the idea, and innovation is the realization of the invention. In practice, my research program invents solutions for its own or given problems and innovates its own or given ideas (inventions). The application of these concepts enables my team to be an effective and flexible science provider. Similarly, I believe extraordinary ideas are out of the ordinary, and even if they appear conventional, extravagant, or 'silly', they are never put away immediately, but given equal consideration and analysis. As a consequence, we prioritize ideas; some are innovated and some others archived, 'further munched' then innovated at the right time.

Dr. Poonam Sharma serves as a Research Assistant Professor and Assistant Director for the Diagnostic Assay Validation Network (DAVN) at the Institute of Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics (IBMF), OSU. With a PhD in Human Pathology, specializing in Infectious Disease from Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France, Dr. Sharma's research primarily focused on studying the lung and gut microbiota of cystic fibrosis patients.

Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Sharma gained experience as an ORISE Postdoctoral scientist through the USDA-ARS Research participation program. During this time, she worked in two different units at the United States National Poultry Research Centre, Athens, GA. In the Southeast Poultry unit, her research focused on the development of Next-Generation sequencing approaches for studying poultry-related viruses. She also established and managed the Next-Generation sequencing central facility. Subsequently, she moved to the Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research unit, where she investigated the prevalence of foodborne pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Sharma joined IBMF in 2020 and was instrumental in establishing the National Diagnostic Assay Laboratory Network (DALN). Currently, her work centers around leading a national project aimed at building and coordinating the DAVN. The goal of this project is to enhance diagnostic practices for plant pathogens by addressing technical challenges across a range of molecular diagnostic tools and establishing standards for method development and validation research within the plant pathology community. 

Furthermore, Dr. Sharma is actively involved in developing assay validation protocols for Next-Generation sequencing of bacterial and viral pathogens in plants and food animals. Her efforts are directed towards advancing the field of diagnostic research and ensuring more efficient and accurate detection methods.