Research Area: Fungi

The Huberman lab uses genetic and genomic techniques to study the genetic mechanisms used by fungi to sense and respond to the nutrients in their environment. Student projects will include performing genetic screens to identify genes important in nutrient sensing and using genetic and genomic[...]

We study how pathogens influence pollinator health. Students collect data on plant-pollinator visitation networks, pathogen prevalence in bees and at flowers, pathogen replication and impacts on host survival, or conduct manipulative experiments to understand transmission parameters. The overall goal of our work is to improve[...]

I am an ecosystem ecologist interested in the patterns, mechanisms, and consequences of the interactions between terrestrial ecosystems and the environment. My research program uses process-based ecosystem models as ‘numerical greenhouses’ to integrate the every-increasing heterogeneous data sets in ecology (e.g. synthesis in traits, ground[...]

The Turgeon lab works on mechanisms of fungal virulence to plants with particular emphasis on the roles of fungal secondary metabolites, iron and oxidative stress. Classical genetic, molecular genetic, and genomic approaches are used.

Two main areas of study in the Smart lab include identifying genes in bacterial pathogens that enable movement within a plant, and understanding the population diversity of rapidly reproducing oomycete pathogens. These studies enhance our knowledge of pathogen virulence determinants and further elucidate how plants[...]

My research group focuses on free-ranging North America wildlife to improve health outcomes across a variety of species, their pathogens and parasites.  At the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, we derive solutions from novel mathematical applications, innovative diagnostic evaluations, field-based studies, and human dimensions of wildlife[...]

We study the mechanisms underlying ecological interactions between fungi and bacteria.  Student projects will focus on current work to characterize the bacteria associated with mycorrhizal fungi in poorly studied desert habitats in California and Israel. Students will learn culture and microscopy techniques, and phylogenetic analysis.

We study disease resistance in maize and sorghum with a substantial focus on fungal pathogens that produce toxins and cause large-scale food system contamination. We work at scales ranging from a single nucleotide (which genetic variations provide quantitative resistance) to whole-plant phenotypes (looking at tradeoffs[...]

The goal of the Kao-Kniffin Lab is to understand the functional role of rhizosphere microbiomes in modifying plant traits. The rhizosphere harbors a tremendous diversity of soil microorganisms that enhance or inhibit plant growth. We are applying concepts in ecology and evolution to assemble microbiomes[...]

Most flowering plants develop mutualistic symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to improve access to essential mineral nutrients. The fungal endosymbionts are housed in membrane-bound compartments within root cells. Our research combines genetic, genomic and cell biology approaches to dissect the plant and fungal cellular[...]