Dr. José A. Castillo is a microbiologist, he has worked conducting basic and applied scientific research at the plant-bacteria interface for several years. Using genomics, bioinformatics and tools from molecular biology he studies the evolutionary trends of selected bacterial pathogens to understand their virulence factors, and evolution. Some results of this research will help local farmers to avoid enormous losses due to crop diseases. His main research is focused on a pathogen called Ralstonia solanacearum that causes significant losses to agricultural production worldwide. However, he has also investigated other bacterial pathogens such as Agrobacterium. On the other hand, he is also interested to study beneficial microbes that could be used to improve our ability to increase agricultural production and control crop diseases in an eco-friendly way. In this vein, his research is dedicated to bacteria from the Bacillus genus.

Over the years, he has obtained funds from national and international agencies to finance his research, which has allowed him to lead a research group in molecular microbiology, write several scientific articles in international journals, guide undergraduate and graduate students, and establish academic ties with colleagues from universities and centers around the world. 

For a period of three years, he worked as a consultant for public policy planning and strategic research for the Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation of Ecuador. In that capacity, he has evaluated the research landscape in Ecuador, has participated in the evaluation of proposals and projects for many of the initiatives presented for research funding, and has evaluated the capacities of the research centers of universities and governments. This experience has led him to acquire a deep understanding of agriculture in Latin America.