Dr. Laila Aqbouch is a plant geneticist specializing in genetics and plant breeding, with a strong commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and enhancing crop resilience in the face of climate change. 

Dr. Aqbouch graduated as an engineer in Agronomy and Plant Breeding from the Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II (IAV) in Rabat, Morocco, before pursuing a Master’s degree in Selection and Evolution of Mediterranean and Tropical Plants (SEPMET) and a PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding at Agro Institute of Montpellier and CIRAD in France. Her doctoral research focused on the genomics of cultivated olive tree adaptation to climate change, aiming to improve the sustainability and productivity of this emblematic Mediterranean crop.

Throughout her academic and research journey, Dr. Aqbouch has collaborated with international teams across Europe and North Africa, contributing to projects on plant breeding, genetic diversity, and bioinformatics. She is passionate about integrating data-driven approaches in plant breeding to promote smart and sustainable agriculture.