Theme: Microbial Physiology and Functions in Infectious Disease

We are interested in understanding microbial communications in pathogenesis, understanding host-pathogen interactions and evolutionary emergence of virulence, and developing point-of-care diagnosis systems through the use of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip technology.

Point-of-Care Diagnosis Systems for Plant Disease
Crop production in the US is highly vulnerable to new and emerging pathogens/pests that are estimated to account for crop losses of over $1 billion annually.  The introduction of exotic plant pathogens has continually challenged US agriculture and today threatens, for example, citrus production in Florida, soybean production in the Midwest, and native stands of oaks and forests of the West coast.  This is compounded by bioterrorists who are a threat to crop biosecurity through the deliberate use of plant pathogens or their toxins to disrupt crop production and a safe food supply. Thus, it is critical that there be continual progress in developing new technologies for rapid and accurate detection and identification of the etiologic agents. We are currently developing a portable platform that can run real-time molecular assays on site.

Funding Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Research Initiative (NRI) Plant Biosecurity Program.


Other Topics To Be Updated Soon

Support for the NanoBio Systems Lab.