Yam is part of the UFV Virus Laboratory team

Doctoral student Yam Santos, from the Graduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology (PPGMBA), is one of the new members of the Junior Board of the Sociedade Brasileira de Virologia (Brazilian Society of Virology -SBV) for the 2025-2026 biennium. This is the second time that a researcher from PPGMBA is part of this group – in the previous biennium, postdoctoral researcher Rafael Rezende held the same position.

“I am sure that it will be an important experience in several aspects. It is excellent for my resume, and I know that it will expand my references in my work and also my network”, projects the doctoral student, also highlighting the importance of holding a national position.

The Junior Board is Yam’s first experience in a representative entity. During his undergraduate studies at the Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (Federal University of Campina Grande), he participated in academic centers and identified his interest in group work and event organization. At the SBV, his role, alongside his other colleagues on the Junior Board, is to assist the board especially in organizing events and in scientific dissemination via social networks.

Research
At PPGMBA, Yam is part of the Virus Laboratory team, coordinated by Professor Poliane Alfenas Zerbini. The group develops studies on the ecology and evolution of viruses that infect phytopathogenic microorganisms, mainly bacteria and fungi. In addition, the team studies the effects that these viruses have on the pathogenicity of these microorganisms, seeking to find strategies for biological control of the disease in the plant. “In my case, I work with fungi that cause diseases in plants. My work focuses mainly on the characterization, ecology and evolution of viruses that infect the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which causes white mold in plants such as soybeans and beans.”

The group recently presented the results of their research at the 35th Brazilian Congress of Virology in Foz do Iguaçu. Yam presented the paper “Diversity of viruses and viroid-like agents infecting Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates from Brazil“, authored by him and Cauê Oliveira, Bianca Gomes, Rafael Rezende and Poliane Zerbini. During their research, they found a wide variety of RNA viruses and viroids, which the researchers believe is the second report of the presence of this type of organism associated with fungi.