Urška Jamnikar Ciglenečki

Associate Professor at the Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana and current President of the Slovenian Microbiological Society. An experienced researcher with over 20 years of expertise in microbiology, molecular diagnostics and food safety, with a primary focus on viral and bacterial pathogens of veterinary, zoonotic and food safety relevance. Her research integrates molecular epidemiology, whole-genome sequencing, and advanced diagnostic methods to investigate pathogen diversity, transmission pathways and cross-species spillover in domestic animals, wildlife, food and environmental samples. She has made notable contributions to the detection and characterization of foodborne and zoonotic viruses, including noroviruses, hepatitis E virus, rotaviruses and coronaviruses, as well as bacterial hazards such as C. difficile, within a One Health framework. She has led and contributed to numerous national and international research projects, including serving as Head of the National Reference Laboratory for Foodborne Viruses in Slovenia. Actively engaged in scientific publishing and international collaboration, she is committed to advancing veterinary public health and knowledge transfer.

Tentative Title:

From farm to fork: Emerging viral threats to food safety

Pillars Topic/Subtopic:

PILLAR 3: INNOVATIVE BIOTECH & INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

3.1: Industrial & Environmental Biotechnology

Sub-topic 3.1a: Food Microbiology: Products, Preservation, and Security