Jorge is a research associate at Colorado State University. He received his PhD degree in Plant Pathology at Colorado State University with research focus on transcriptomics and proteomics of Pythium iwayamai which causes snow blight of turfgrass. He also worked on the population genetics of Geosmithia morbida, a pathogen of the thousand canker disease of walnut. He is currently involved in many research projects in the Stewart Lab which deals on genomics and transcriptomics of various plant pathogens such as Rafaelea lauricola causing laurel wilt disease, Phellinus noxius causing brown root rot on tropical trees, Cytospora leucostoma causing peach canker, and Armillaria species causing root rot. He also investigates the microbial communities in potato fields in the presence of pathogens using metagenomics. Further, he collaborates with USDA Forest Service on various projects such as the development of protocol for the detection of Cronartium ribicola causing white pine blister rust through loop-mediated isothermal amplification.