Areas of Research

Coccidioidomycosis, more commonly known as Valley Fever, is a respiratory disease that typically affects the lungs. However, depending on the severity, the infection may spread to other parts of the body. The disease is contracted through the inhalation of Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii, fungal pathogens that can evade the immune system of the host. These fungi reside in soil and dirt and can be easily dispersed by wind, making the disease more common in hot, dry areas. Although symptoms of the disease are flu-like, in rare cases severity of symptoms rises, possibly resulting in brain and nervous system damage. Unfortunately, other than antifungal treatment, there is no successful cure or vaccine for Coccidioidomycosis. In our research, we will be studying soil samples from parts of Contra Costa county to determine whether this strain of fungi is present in the soil. Our research group will be applying the principles of microbiology and the tools of molecular biology to modern issues in biology, medicine, and materials. This is pursued via targeted 18S ribosomal RNA with the use of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and primers.

The Fab1 gene is found in non-pathogenic E. coli strains to be critical to proper formation of the bacteria’s cell wall structural integrity and proper functioning. We are determining how the bacteria’s overall growth and structure will be affected, and in what ways it might be hindered, if that gene is knocked out. The advent of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has enabled such studies with great precision at the sequence-genomic level. This project is ongoing in its preliminary stages and we hope to report on gene knockout experiments shortly.

Details coming soon!

Overall goal of our research is to apply the principles of microbiology and the tools of molecular biology to modern issues in biology, medicine, and materials. This is pursued via targeted 18S ribosomal RNA with the use of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and primers. One of the ongoing research is on mutualistic relationships of fungal species and plants. The aim of this study is, therefore, to investigate the mutualistic relationship of fungi and Plants, we propose to identify member fungi species that might be present in the soils of LEAF. LEAF is short for Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont which is a group that has three gardens and a new Urban Farm around Fremont. They are committed to the organic growth of plants and creating a space that fosters the integration of an urban area with natural functional aspects. This garden has a section that they are creating for an Urban Farm. The soil amendments they are trying to use is biochar and possibly zoo manure. We will test these out later, for now, we're trying to get a baseline for how the soil is currently at the far this time, students will be using molecular biology tools such as DNA Extraction Kits, PCR, and Primers to better understand and engineer solutions to areas of current research that are of translatable applicability at the biology interface. This soil will be the unamended soil, hence you will extract DNA from and run some PCR to identify the top 5-10 most prevalent fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plants.

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!