Marco Cristancho is a Project Leader in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of the Andes, where he co-leads the CABANA project as well as coordinating UniAndes' involvement in several other projects related to genomics and bioinformatics.  With over 15 years of experience on Bioinformatics and more than 20 years of expertise in Genomics, Molecular Biology and coffee improvement, Marco’s leadership in bioinformatics in Colombia is well recognised. He has been involved in a large number of national and international collaborative endeavours and is an experienced leader of large projects and scientific groups. He advises in the areas of Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Plant Pathogens Control for public and private Research Institutes in Colombia and abroad.