David Vila Pires

David Vila Pires

Plant Protection, Genetics & Biotechnology, Student in MED
Plant Protection, Genetics & Biotechnology
Student in MED

About

David Pires is a Nematologist with nearly a decade of research experience in plant health, biological control, and sustainable pest management. He earned a BSc in Biology-Geology (2014) and a MSc in Ecology (2016) from the University of Minho, where he began specialising in Plant Nematology. His career includes competitive research fellowships at several Portuguese institutions, collaboration in six national and two EU-funded projects, and a three-month international research stay at Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences. These diverse experiences strengthened his ability to adapt methods across systems and scales, while fostering resilience, a collaborative mindset, and leadership beyond institutional boundaries. He has authored ten peer-reviewed publications, cited over 200 times (h-index = 4), including nine in internationally indexed journals (Q1–Q2) and one in a national journal. These include five first-author and one corresponding-author papers, complemented by conference proceedings, encyclopedia entries, and technical articles. He has delivered 21 talks (four invited) and presented 21 posters, earning a Best Poster award. These outputs highlight a consistent track record of scientific leadership, productivity, and collaborations across domestic institutions as well as international partnerships in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Beyond research outputs, he contributes actively to the scientific community. He has reviewed more than 80 manuscripts for 37 journals (Q1–Q3) and served as handling editor for a submission to PNAS and as topic editor for Frontiers in Plant Science. These responsibilities reflect his recognised expertise and the professional trust he has earned within the field. His research trajectory follows a clear vision: to advance the biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes by bridging molecular insights with scalable field applications, ultimately supporting sustainable forestry, agriculture, and food security.

Present Research
  • Esteya spp.
  • Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
  • Nematophagous fungi
  • Plant-nematode-fungus interactions
Research Interests
  • Plant Nematology
  • Biocontrol
  • Nematophagous fungi
  • Synthetic microbial communities
  • Host-microbe interactions

Personal Information

Institutional Email Send Message
Thematic lines to which I contribute:
Montado & Forest Systems
Biodiversity & Conservation

Publications & Patents

Publication