Dr. Iva Franic

Diversity, community assembly, and functional roles of tree-associated organisms, particularly microbiota (fungi, bacteria), and their responses to global change (e.g., climate change, urbanisation). Use of high-throughput sequencing to characterise these communities, detect pests, and identify beneficial microorganisms that enhance tree resilience to biotic and abiotic stress.

• 09/2023 - present - Scientific staff member
  Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf in the Phytopathology lab
• 12/2020 - 07/2023 - Postdoctoral researcher
  Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp (SE) in the lab of Michelle Cleary
  Projects:
  “Improved assessment of viable seed-borne fungi using RNA metabarcoding” Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship, SNSF
  “The hidden world of fungi in tree seeds: growth strategies and interactions of seed associated fungi” Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship, SNSF
• 07/2020 - 10/2020 - Postdoctoral researcher 
  Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf in the Phytopathology lab
  Project: “Early detection of new potential pests and pathogens associated with dormant tree twigs for Switzerland”
• 07/2016 - 05/2020 - PhD candidate             
  CABI, Delémont; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf; University of Bern, Bern
  Project: “Global assessment of tree pests and pathogens for improved biosecurity”

• 07/2016 - 03/2020 - PhD in Ecology and Evolution
  University of Bern, Faculty of Science, PhD program in Ecology and Evolution (CH)
• 09/2010 - 02/2013 - Master of Science in Ecology and Nature Preservation
  University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Zagreb (HR)
• 09/2007 - 09/2010 - University Bachelor of Environmental Sciences
  University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Zagreb (HR)