Josep Usall i Rodié (Alguaire, 1966) has been the general director of the Institute of Agro-Food Research and Technology (IRTA) since 2018. He is an agricultural technical engineer (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC, 1984-1987), an agronomist engineer (UPC, 1987-1989), a specialist in international trade (Terrassa Chamber of Commerce 1991-92) and a doctorate in agronomist engineering from the University of Lleida (1995). Linked to IRTA since 1992 as a researcher in post-harvest pathologies, he has held several management positions there: he was the coordinator of the Sustainable Plant Protection program (2009-2012), director of the Post-Harvest Technical Service (2002-2018), head of the Post-Harvest program (2012-2018) and, since 2018, the general director. In addition, between 2011 and 2018 he coordinated the Fruit.Net program, which aims to optimize the application of phytosanitary products and reduce fruit waste in Catalonia. Between 1994 and 2011 he combined his research activity with the management of the Center for International Cooperation of the University of Lleida (UdL). His research began with the development of biological control agents for the main diseases of pome fruits. Later, he expanded the scope of his research to include other control strategies such as low-risk physical or chemical treatments. In recent years, his research has focused on developing epidemiological models of the main fruit diseases, especially Monilia in stone fruit, as well as genomic-based studies of pathogenesis and resistance of Penicillium and Monilia. He has published nearly 200 scientific articles in indexed journals, written twelve book chapters and around seventy informative articles, collaborated in the editing of ten books, holds three patents and has given more than 150 communications at national and international conferences. He has been the director of the IRTA International Postharvest Course. He has carried out research stays at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station (ARS-USDA, USA), at the Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory (ARS-USDA, USA), at the Universidade do Algarve (Portugal), at the Ruakura Research Center (HortResearch – New Zealand) and at the University of California-Davis (USA).