Archive
Walter Gassmann
Research Interests The innate immune response triggered by plant immune receptors is very potent at preventing pathogen spread. Consequently, this response also has the potential to be detrimental to the host if not regulated properly. Apart from the regulation of immune receptor expression and accumulation it is still unclear how this fine-tuning of the immune system is achieved. Research in the Gassmann lab addresses this gap in knowledge using genetics, molecular and cell biology, and proteomics. The cultivation of genetically uniform plants over large areas frequently selects for pathogen strains that can overcome innate plant defenses, and large crop losses…
David Mendoza
Research Interests The Mendoza lab focuses on the identification of the molecular mechanisms mediating nutrient sensing and allocation in plants, particularly nutrient elements that are required for photosynthesis, such as iron, copper, and zinc.
Scott C. Peck
Research Interests Bacterial pathogens spend the majority of their lives in the soil competing with other microbes for nutrients. However, when they chemically recognize the presence of a potential plant host, the bacteria activate a virulence program to suppress plant immunity. Conversely, plants only activate defense responses when they recognize the presence of the potential pathogens. By studying these interrelated chemical recognition processes, the Peck lab has discovered the chemical signals utilized by bacteria to activate their virulence programs, and we have isolated mutants that fail to secrete these signals, rendering the plants more resistant to infection. We are…
Gary Stacey
Research Interests ATP is a ubiquitous compound in all living cells; it not only provides the energy to drive many biochemical reactions, but also functions in signal transduction as a substrate for kinases, adenylate cyclases, etc. However, ATP was also shown to be an essential signaling agent outside of cells, where it is referred to as extracellular ATP (eATP). An extensive literature exists in animals implicating eATP in numerous cellular processes, including neurotransmission, immune responses, cell growth, and cell death. Initial observations of effects of eATP in animals were met with considerable skepticism. However, much less is known about the…
Lloyd W. Sumner
Research Interests Dr. Sumner’s research is focused on the development, integration and application of large-scale biochemical profiling of plant metabolites, proteins, and transcripts (metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics) for the discovery and characterization of the molecular and biochemical components related to the biosynthesis of plant natural products/specialized metabolites. He also actively applies these integrated omics technologies in a collaborative manner for greater insight into health and disease in a large number of species, including humans. A current focal area is cancer. Dr. Sumner has published over 180 peer-reviewed articles/book chapters and has an h-index of 74. The Sumner lab is highly…
Trupti Joshi
Research Interests The Joshi lab has expertise in the areas of bioinformatics and its application to biomedical sciences, plants sciences, animal sciences, and health informatics fields. The lab has three key research pillars: Multiomics Informatics Data Analytics and Framework Development Multiomics Informatics Method Development Multiomics Data Integration Tool Development…