Cristina Castañé is a research scientist in entomology at the Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA) which depends on a local government, Generalitat de Catalunya, in Spain (http://www.irta.es). She got her degree in Biology in 1980 and her PhD in 1989, both at the University of Barcelona. She is an expert in research on biological control in vegetable crops, mainly in generalist predators as mirid bugs. Her main objective is to develop knowledge on biology and ecology of natural enemies with the aim to improve the effectiveness of biological control programs. Her research includes studies on predator-prey population dynamics, development of methods for predator mass rearing including the study of artificial and alternative substitution prey, and also studies on mirid reproduction for improving their management in crops.
In 1989 she joined the IOBC WG “Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Mediterranean Climate” and became its convenor in 2003. She is also an active member of the IOBC WG “Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Temperate Climate”.