Team

Orlando is the Laboratory Manager at the Institute of Bee Health. He is interested in the adaptation and genetic variability of deformed wing virus (DWV), a worldwide distributed honey bee virus which is frequently associated with colony losses, as well as in the role that endosymbionts may play in honey bee health.

Professional Career

  • Since 2013: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; topics: Endosymbionts in honey bees and transmission of honey bee pathogens through honey bee products
  • 2010-2012: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Research Station Agroscope-Haras Liebefeld-Posieux ALP, Bern, Switzerland; topic: Inter and intra-specific transmission and diversity of honey bee viruses
  • 2006: Research Scientist, Centro de Investigacion Nacional de Apicultura Tropical (CINAT), Heredia, Costa Rica; topic: Reproduction of Varroa mites in Africanized honey bees
  • 2003: Research Scientist, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Instituto Tecnologico Pesquero (ITP) Lima, Peru
  • 2000-2002: Research Scientist, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, International Potato Center (CIP) Lima, Peru

Education

  • 2007-2010: PhD in host-parasite interactions, Queen's University Belfast, UK, PhD thesis entitled:  “Genetic diversity, transmission and virulence of a honeybee virus: deformed wing virus (DWV)”
  • 2003-2005: Master Programme “Tropical bees and Beekeeping in tropical climates”, Faculty of Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
  • 2000-2002 Diploma in Genetics, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru, Diploma thesis entitled: “Isolation and characterization of microsatellites from enriched genomic libraries from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)”
  • 1995-1999: Bachelors in Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru

Awards

  • 2007: Beeshop PhD Scholarship, Queen's University Belfast, UK
  • 2003: Nuffic fellowship, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
  • 2000: Research fellowship, International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru 

Publications