Oeiras, 13th July 2026
Carlota Vaz Patto, researcher and laboratory head at ITQB NOVA, has been elected President of the International Legume Society (ILS), a global reference in legume research. She is the first woman to hold this position.
The ILS was founded in 2011 and brings together experts from several countries to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and speed up solutions related to legumes, from the field to the table. All with the aim of developing more resilient and productive legume crops, contributing to more sustainable agricultural production and diverse diets.
For the researcher, who has closely followed the Society’s development from its European origins to its consolidation as an international organization, this election is both an honour and a major responsibility. “Taking on this role means continuing that work and helping to strengthen a scientific community that is increasingly inclusive, interdisciplinary, and global,” explains Carlota Vaz Patto.
As President, she aims to “promote closer links between the scientific knowledge produced and policymakers and other international networks,” and to “invest in empowering the next generations and promoting equal opportunities, encouraging the participation of early-career researchers and women, as well as intergenerational exchange.” Her goals also include “engaging regions that are still underrepresented and fostering a more active, regular, and participatory involvement of the Society’s members.”
The election was announced at the most recent International Legume Society Conference, held in Croatia from 8 to 12 June 2026.
At the same conference, Francisco Mendes, a PhD student in Carlota Vaz Patto’s lab, received the award for best oral presentation. His work examined how grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) can resist the pea aphid, a pest that harms its production. The aim is to help develop more resistant varieties and thus reduce the need for pesticide use.
