Leonor Cruz started to work in Phytobacteriology in 1990 in at Technical University of Lisbon. In 1994 started to work at the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture official Phytobacteriology Laboratory on the detection and identification of regulated pest, namely phytopathogenic bacteria. Since then has implemented and coordinated the analysis of most control plans for plant pathogenic bacteria at national level as part of the routine analysis of the laboratory in parallel with the research projects ongoing. Since 2009 - Responsible by the Phytobacteriology Laboratory at INIAV/INRB, the national reference laboratory for Plant Health. Diagnostics and biodiversity of potential pathogenic bacteria of crops and forests are the main areas of professional and scientific activity and interest. Has developed, in collaboration with colleagues, as well as with other national and international institutions studies on phenotypic, genomic and phylogenetic diversity, molecular epidemiology and microbe-host interactions for phytopathogenic bacteria. Has been involved in the settlement of national monitoring programs and in the implementation of new laboratory techniques useful to achieve rapid and reliable diagnosis. Responsible, since 2000, for the creation and conservation of a collection of phytopathogenic bacteria, collected in Portugal. Has also devoted some attention to the introduction and implementation of Quality Assurance procedures in laboratory practices towards a reliable diagnosis. Has been involved in the introduction and optimization of new diagnostic tools for the reliable detection and identification of bacterial plant pathogens. Is expert of the Panel on Bacterial Diagnostics of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Has been also National Delegate for COST Actionsin the area. Is the pin point for Portugal for the network Euphresco (WWW.Euphresco.net), which develops non competitive research activities in the area of plant pathogens, namely on EU quarantine harmful organisms. Develops part of her research activities as integrated member of Center Biodiversity Functional and Integrative Genomics (BioFIG/BioISI), of Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade de Lisboa, since 2008. The main interests are biomolecular, serological and classical methods for the reliable diagnosis of bacterial diseases on host plants and environmental samples. These include, regulated non-quarantine and quarantine bacteria such as Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus. Biodiversity studies using molecular fingerprinting tools, phylogenetic and whole genome sequencing and numerical data analysis for population structure studies, as well as the molecular epidemiology of phytopathogenic bacteria including development of procedures for detection of latent infected/symptomless plant material are the main goals of the ongoing research. Pest Risk Analysis and Crisis Preparedness are two areas where she acquired specialized expertise and that is starting to develop at INIAV.