Dr. Montero-Calasanz is a RyC researcher at IFAPA Las Torres (Junta de Andalusia, Spain) and an Associate Lecturer in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University (United Kingdom) with more than 8 years' experience investigating bacterial diversity and plant-microbe interactions in agricultural and degraded ecosystems. She has a strong background in bioprospecting of plant-growth promoting bacteria, microbial systematics, phylogenomics, functional and comparative genomics of actinobacteria ((meta)genome analysis and (meta)transcriptomics), and formulation, application and monitoring of bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture. Her research interests and trajectory are focused on agro-ecological role of actinobacteria from arid- and degraded ecosystems in relation to soil microbial community, soil formation and erosion, and management of soil-plant-microbe system aiming to exploit their biotechnological potential as bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture and restoration of soil fertility.