Professor Paula Tennant is a Research Plant Pathologist working with virus diseases of fruit crops. Her work involves the identification of viruses of vegetables and fruit crops with an emphasis toward developing management strategies using biotechnology as well as natural sources of tolerance or resistance from diverse germplasm, including domestic and wild species. Close collaboration with Cornell University (New York, USA), The Biotechnology Centre, University of the West Indies, and the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation (JADF) has led to the establishment of the appropriate regulatory structures to oversee the use and importation of agricultural biotechnology products in Jamaica and the development of virus resistant transgenic papaya. Prof. Tennant joined the staff in the Department of Life Sciences in 2001 and continues to work with papaya as well as initiated work on the characterization of viruses affecting citrus, cucurbits and root crops. She was promoted to the rank of Professor in May 2012 and served as Head of the Department from August 2013 to July 2016.