Education

1/04/2015 – 30/09/2018

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Japan

1/04/2013 – 30/03/2015

Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Applied Biological Science, Gifu University, Japan

1/09/2005 – 31/01/2010

Bachelors of Science (B.Sc.) in Plant Protection, University of Jordan, Jordan
Academic career and teaching activities
1/08/2021 – present Postdoctoral researcher, European Union’s
Horizon 2020 project “FreezingBioprotector”
University of Trento, Italy
1/08/2020 – 31/07/2021Postdoctoral researcher, University of Trento, Italy
1/10/2019 – 31/07/2020Postdoctoral researcher, Ibaraki University, Japan
1/10/2019 – 1/12/2019Teaching assistant, Ibaraki University, Japan
20/10/2018 – 30/09/2019Postdoctoral researcher, Gifu University, Japan
1/04/2018 – 30/09/2018Research assistant, Gifu University, Japan
1/04/2013 – 30/09/2013Teaching assistant, Gifu University, Japan
1/04/2012 – 30/03/2013Researcher, Gifu University, Japan
Research interests
  • The diversity and structure of microorganisms associated with wild plants growing in extreme environments such as cold habitats
  • Functions of these plant-associated microorganisms including their role in alleviating various biotic (diseases) and abiotic (chilling and freezing) stresses on plants
  • Developing innovative and practical management strategies against different plant stresses; and eventually developing them into various plant protection products (e.g. biopesticides and biostimulants).  
Research work

My research career as a plant pathologist started as a Master’s student where I focused on evaluating the suppressive effect of Allium intercropping on tomato bacterial wilt, and on the bacterial community structure of Alliums and tomato. Afterward, as a Ph.D. student, I utilized the bacterial community data to develop novel biocontrol agents against tomato bacterial wilt, which was the main research area of my dissertation. In this study, I succeeded in developing a practical biocontrol strategy against tomato bacterial wilt.

As a postdoctoral researcher (I), I have been investigating the competition for nutrients as one of the mechanisms employed by the newly discovered microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs; Mitsuaria and non-pathogenic Ralstonia) against the tomato bacterial wilt pathogen (Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum), genome analysis of these MBCAs and the pathogen, transcriptome analysis of tomato plant following MBCAs treatment and pathogen challenge inoculation.

As a postdoctoral researcher (II), I have been studying the various interactions between dark septate fungal root endophytes - host plants (ornamentals and fruit crops) - pathogens (oomycete and fungi). In particular, I succeeded in developing a practical biocontrol strategy using a new DSE against Pythium root rot on eustoma plant for hydroponic culture system.
Memberships in societies and scientific committees
  • The Phytopathological Society of Japan, 2016 –
  • Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology, 2017 –
  • International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control/West Palaearctic Regional Section, 2018 –
  • Society for Applied Microbiology, 2021  –
Awards and honours
2021Award for the Most Valuable Paper from Microbes and Environments Journal. Paper entitled “Potential use of L-arabinose for the control of tomato bacterial wilt”
2020Award for Paper of Excellence from the The Phytopathological Society of Japan. Paper entitled “Enhanced biocontrol effect using the combined application of Mitsuaria sp. TWR114 and non-pathogenic Ralstonia sp. TCR112 for controlling tomato bacterial wilt”
2020Seal of Excellence: MSCA-IF High Quality Project, awarded by European Commission for the proposal submitted under the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions call H2020-MSCA-IF-2019.
2018Gold award for best student oral presentation. Presentation title “Novel isolates of Ralstonia and Mitsuaria species as biocontrol agents for controlling tomato bacterial wilt”, IOBC-WPRS (International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control-West Palaearctic Regional Section) XV Meeting of the Working Group “Biological and integrated control of plant pathogens”, Lleida, Spain
04/2012 – 03/ 2018Japanese Government Scholarship from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Monbugakusho: MEXT)
11/2009 – 01/2010Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Government Scholarship from The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Conferences and lectures
  • Marian M., Morita A., Koyama H., Suga H., and Shimizu M. (2019). Synergistic effect of Mitsuaria sp. TWR114 and Ralstonia sp. TCR112 on enhanced biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt. 5th Asian Conference on Plant-Microbe Symbiosis and Nitrogen Fixation. Sendai, Japan (Poster).
  • Wu R., Marian M., Koyama H., Suga H., Kageyama K., and Shimizu M., Characterization of competition for nutrients in the biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt by Mitsuaria sp. TWR114 and Ralstonia sp. TCR112. Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology. Hokkaido, Japan (Poster).
  • Wu R., Marian M., Koyama H., Suga H., Kageyama K., and Shimizu M (2019). Role of nutrient competition in biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt by Mitsuaria sp. TWR114 and Ralstonia sp. TCR112. Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan. Tsukuba, Japan (Oral).
  • Marian M., Nishioka T., Koyama H., Suga H., and Shimizu M. (2018). Synergistic effect of Mitsuaria sp. and non-pathogenic Ralstonia sp. on the suppression of tomato bacterial wilt. Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology. Hiroshima, Japan (Poster).
  • Marian M., Nishioka T., Koyama H., Suga H., and Shimizu M. (2018). Synergistic effect of Ralstonia sp. TCR112 and Mitsuaria sp. TWR114 in biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt. Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan. Kobe, Japan (Oral).
  • Marian M., Koyama H., Suga H., and Shimizu M. (2017). Novel strains of Mitsuaria chitosanitabida and Ralstonia pickettii as biocontrol agents against tomato bacterial wilt. Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan. Iwate, Japan (Oral).
  • Marian M., Khedr A., Nishioka T., Suga H., and Shimizu M. (2015). Isolation of rhizosphere bacteria and evaluation of their biocontrol potential against tomato bacterial wilt. Symposium on the Present and Future Use of Beneficial Microorganisms. Toyama, Japan (Poster).
Other work

Patent applications/granted

  • Shimizu M., and Marian M.K.M (2020). Controlling Agent for Bacterial Wilt Disease and Method for Controlling Bacterial Wilt Disease. JP 2020/83556.
  • Satomi S., Ozaki K., Shimizu M., and Marian M.K. (2018). New Strain Belonging to Genus Mitsuaria and Microbial Pesticide Using Said Strain. WO 2018/186307.
  • Satomi S., Ozaki K., Shimizu M., and Marian M.K. (2018). New Strain Belonging to Genus Ralstonia pickettii and Microbial Pesticide Using Said Strain. WO 2018/186312.
  • Satomi S., Ozaki K., Shimizu M., and Marian M.K. (2018). Microbial Pesticide Using A Strain Belonging to Genus Mitsuaria And A Strain Belonging to Genus Ralstonia In Combination. WO 2018/186316.