Professor
UC-Riverside
Riverside, California
I am a Professor at the University of California at Riverside (UCR). My research is focused on molecular plant immunity. Born and raised in Germany, I received a diploma degree in Biology at the University of Cologne. In 1999 I received my PhD for work at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research under Imre Somssich and Klaus Hahlbrock on molecular roles of WRKY transcription factors. I was also awarded the Otto-Hahn Medallion of the Max-Planck-Society for this work. In January 2000 I started at the University of North Carolina post-doctoral work with Jeff Dangl on genetic aspects of immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana. In summer 2003 I initiated independent research at UCR on synthetic elicitors (drug-like compounds which induce plant immune responses) and epigenetic mechanisms controlling plant immune receptor gene expression. A new focus of our research is host immune responses against the detrimental plant root pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina.
Monday, August 7, 2023
3:38 PM – 3:58 PM EDT