dr. Nik Susič

2019–Current: Researcher, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Plant Protection Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2019, 2023 (2 months): Bioinformatics research, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, INRA-UNS-CNRS, Sophia-Antipolis, France.

2019 (1 month): Bioinformatics research, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburg, Scotland, UK.

2015–2019: Young researcher, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Plant Protection Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2015 (4 months): Technical Adviser and Partner, Algamteknol Ltd, Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenia.

2014–2015: Internship, Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU), Plant Biotechnology Unit, Vienna, Austria.

2010–2013: Extracurricular work and MSc Thesis, Biotechnical Faculty (University of Ljubljana), Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Breeding, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

• NEM-EMERGE HORIZON-RIA-GA 101083727: An integrated set of novel approaches to counter the emergence and proliferation of invasive and virulent soil-borne nematodes (2024-2027).
• ARIS L7-50153 RESENSE-VITIS: Early detection and management of important grapevine diseases (2023-2026).
• EXCALIBUR H2020-RIA-GA 817946: Exploiting the multifunctional potential of belowground biodiversity in horticultural farming (2019-2024).
• ARRS L4-1840: New management practices for mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses in maize under changing climate conditions (2019-2022).
• NemDetect GP/EFSA/ALPHA/2018/02: Image analysis for early detection of quarantine plant pests – Root-knot nematodes and Cyst nematodes (2019-2022).
• ARRS Bilateral project between Slovenia and France – PROTEUS: Bioinformatics analysis of genomes for emerging tropical root-knot nematodes to unveil species histories, virulence and diagnostic markers (2020-2021).
• ARRS Program group P4-0072: Agrobiodiversity (2015-2021).
• ARRS Program group P4-0431: Next-generation agriculture (2022-).
• Euphresco 2016-A-199 MeloTrop: Global warming and distribution of root-knot nematode species of the tropical group (2017-2020).
• Core Organic Cofund BIOVINE: Exploit biodiversity in viticultural systems to reduce pest damage and pesticide use, and increase ecosystems services provision (2018-2021).

After completing the general Gymnasium in Nova Gorica in 2007, Nik Susič began working on a degree in Biotechnology at the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana. He finished his undergraduate studies in 2014 with a completion of his Master’s thesis. He subsequently continued working in the field of plant biotechnology at the BOKU University in Vienna, Austria, developing new systems for targeted mutagenesis in plants. In October 2015, he started with his doctoral studies Biosciences (field Bioinformatics) as a Young researcher at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia. Doctoral thesis covered research in the field of nematology and the use of methods for molecular identification, bioinformatics, genomics, remote sensing and microbial control against root-knot nematodes (RKN). This work yielded the most complete publicly-available reference genome sequence in the Meloidogyne genus at the time. His research work continues to involve studies of biotic and abiotic plant stress, genomics and microbial control against RKN, as well as remote sensing applications in nematology.

Plant-parasitic nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.); biochemical and molecular diagnostics of plant-parasitic nematodes; biological control; plant-microbe-pest interactions; remote sensing applications in nematology; nematode genomics.

2020 Award by the International Federation of Nematology Societies (IFNS) to participate in the 7th International Congress of Nematology (ICN 2020), Antibes Juan-les-Pins, France (conference postponed to 2022).

2018 Award of the Scientific council of the AIS for scientific accomplishments in 2018 outlined in the scientific publication entitled: Susič et al. 2018. Discrimination between abiotic and biotic drought stress in tomatoes using hyperspectral imaging. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.

2014 Prešeren University of Ljubljana award. Awarded to the Master’s thesis: Development and optimization of protocol for transformation of bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus Curtis) using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

ESN – European Society of Nematologists

• ŽIBRAT Uroš, GERIČ STARE Barbara, KNAPIČ Matej, SUSIČ Nik, LAPAJNE Janez, ŠIRCA Saša. Detection of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne luci infestation of potato tubers using hyperspectral remote sensing and real-time PCR molecular methods. Remote sensing. 2021, 13(10): 1-21. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/10/1996.
• SUSIČ Nik, JANEŽIČ Sandra, RUPNIK Maja, GERIČ STARE Barbara. Whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics of two nematicidal Bacillus strains reveals a wide range of possible virulence factors. G3. 2020, 10(3): 881-890. DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400716.
• SUSIČ Nik, KOUTSOVOULOS Georgios D., RICCIO Cristian, DANCHIN Étienne G. J., BLAXTER Mark L., LUNT David H., STRAJNAR Polona, ŠIRCA Saša, UREK Gregor, GERIČ STARE Barbara. Genome sequence of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne luci. Journal of nematology. 2020, 52, e2020-25: 1-5. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2020-025.
• SUSIČ Nik, ŽIBRAT Uroš, SINKOVIČ Lovro, VONČINA Andrej, RAZINGER Jaka, KNAPIČ Matej, SEDLAR Aleš, ŠIRCA Saša, GERIČ STARE Barbara. From genome to field-observation of the multimodal nematicidal and plant growth-promoting effects of Bacillus firmus I-1582 on tomatoes using hyperspectral remote sensing. Plants. 2020, 9(5): 1-27. DOI: 10.3390/plants9050592.
• SUSIČ Nik, ŽIBRAT Uroš, ŠIRCA Saša, STRAJNAR Polona, RAZINGER Jaka, KNAPIČ Matej, VONČINA Andrej, UREK Gregor, GERIČ STARE Barbara. Discrimination between abiotic and biotic drought stress in tomatoes using hyperspectral imaging. Sensors and actuators B Chemical. 2018, 273: 842-852. DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.06.121.
• SUSIČ Nik, BOHANEC Borut, MUROVEC Jana. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of bush monkey-flower (Mimulus aurantiacus Curtis) with a new reporter gene ZsGreen. PCTOC. 2014, 116: 243-251. DOI: 10.1007/s11240-013-0402-3.