Role: Faculty

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[...]

My research spans infection biology across scales and systems, utilizing a variety of theoretical and computational approaches, such as: modeling of infectious disease dynamics in complex populations, networks and landscapes; characterizing the structure, function and evolution of cellular networks involved in pathogen virulence and host[...]

The Moreau lab focuses on the symbiotic factors that drive evolutionary diversification in ants. One example question is whether seed-eating ants have distinct gut microbiomes to facilitate their use of this food source. Students will characterize the gut microbiomes of ant species using 16S amplicon[...]

Research in my group focuses on the population genetics of rapid evolution, using a combination of experimental and modeling approaches. We are particularly interested in human-induced examples of rapid evolution, like the evolution of pesticide and drug resistance. We also study the possibility of population-scale[...]

The Martin lab studies the molecular bases of bacterial infection processes and the plant immune system. Our research focuses on speck disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. We use diverse experimental methods in biochemistry, bioinformatics, cell biology, forward and reverse genetics, genomics, molecular[...]

The Leifer lab investigates how the immune system detects and initiates inflammatory responses to microbes. We focus on innate immune macrophages and the regulatory mechanisms that control inflammation through Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

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[...]

We study how lipids mediate host-microbiome interactions.   A potential student project in the lab involves using techniques developed in the lab to identify novel interactions of saturated fatty acids with the gut microbiome and developing advanced techniques in anaerobic microbial genetics to determine the consequences[...]

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[...]

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[...]