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Research Area: Plant Hosts

  1. Tory Hendry, Microbiology

    Tory Hendry

    The Hendry lab studies how environmental bacteria interact with insect hosts. Our main focus is understanding how plant-associated bacteria influence the health and behavior of insect herbivores. Students will design mesocosm experiments with culturable bacteria growing on plants and herbivorous insects, using skills in bacteriology[...]
  2. John Helmann, Microbiology

    John Helmann

    We use Bacillus subtilis as a model system to characterize the bacterial stress responses elicited by metal ion limitation and excess during infection, and by host-produced antibiotics that interfere with integrity of the cell envelope. The resulting insights are relevant for understanding the mechanisms that allow bacterial[...]
  3. Michelle Heck, Boyce Thompson Institute

    Michelle Heck

    Our research uses a combination of molecular, genetic, and proteomics approaches to understand how insects transmit plant pathogens and how pathogens manipulate host plants to ensure replication and transmission. For instance, students will characterize the transmission rates of viruses by different genotypes of aphids in[...]
  4. Maria Harrison, Boyce Thomspon Institute

    Maria Harrison

    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[...]
  5. Stephen Ellner, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

    Stephen Ellner

    I am a theoretical ecologist working on disease transmission in multi-species communities characterized by functional traits. Students and postdocs in my research group have worked on a variety of projects related to control of invasive species in heterogeneous landscapes.
  6. Clare Casteel, PPPMB

    Clare Casteel

    Numerous studies demonstrate that vector-borne pathogens influence host characteristics, resulting in altered host-vector interactions and enhanced transmission. We seek to determine the molecular mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon and use this knowledge to develop innovative control strategies using genetic and biochemical approaches. Current focuses are[...]
  7. Dan Buckley, Soil and Crop Sciences

    Dan Buckley

    My research program explores soil microbiome dynamics and their impacts on ecosystem and plant health. Students will use genomics and culture-based experiments to understand how soil bacteria response to plant root exudates. They will gain skills in microbiology and bioinformatics, and learn concepts in community[...]
  8. Adam Bognadove, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology

    Adam Bogdanove

    Our research centers on crop diseases caused by bacteria in the genus Xanthomonas, focusing on TAL effector proteins injected by the bacteria to manipulate expression of specific host genes important for disease development. Our lab also studies plant disease resistance mechanisms triggered by TAL effectors[...]