I am fascinated by how fungi interact with other organisms and how these interactions can alter the evolution of molecular and population diversity. Current research efforts include characterizing the intracellular bacteria that live inside of fungi (Fungal microbiome research), understanding molecular and functional diversity within fungal populations (Ganoderma population diversity in the PNW), and elucidating how fungi that originate environmentally come to infect mammals (Human fungal pathogen evolution). Together with my lab group, I use evolutionary genomics, molecular biology, and computational approaches to probe how fungal symbioses are established and maintained over time. You can read more about my lab group at our website.
Fungal Microbiome Research
Mortierella elongata growing in a microfluidic chamber. Efforts aimed at developing novel imaging technologies to better understand fungal interactions and development.
Fungal population diversity in the PNW
Endosymbiont influence on Mucoromycosis disease ecology
Tropical Plant-Fungal Interactions
Collaborators
Click on the links below to learn more about my active scientific collaborations
Dr. Paola Bon Fante
Professor Emerita, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy
Dr. Rasheed Adeleke
Professor at North West University Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
Dr. Teresa Pawlowska
Associate Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, Cornell University, USA
Dr. Gregory Bonito
Associate Professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, USA
Dra. Laila Pamela Partida Martínez
Professor and Director, Cinvestav, Irapuato Unit, Mexico
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sheffield, UK
Dr. Elizabeth Ballou
Assistant Professor, Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, UK
Dr. Scott Retterer
Senior staff scientist in the Biosciences and Center for Nanoscale Materials Sciences Divisions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, DOE, USA
Dr. Matt Kasson
Associate Professor, Forest Pathology and Mycology, West Virginia University, USA
Dr. Alejandro Rojas
Assistant Professor, Entomology & Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, USA
Dr. Jason Stajich
Professor, Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California at Riverside, USA
Jessie Uehling, PhD 