THE ROLE OF PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS IN HOST HEALTH

We are interested in the wealth of transformative capabilities in microbial systems, particularly those that have not been yet fully explored or understood. The functional diversity of microbial communities in soil environments is truly staggering and remains largely unexplored. Fortunately, novel -omics and molecular techniques, in combination with traditional microbiology, can enable us to address essential questions about soil processes, nutrient cycling. We study the interactions between microbial communities and plants in two model systems, the American beachgrass Ammophila brevilugulata and the grape vine Vitis vinifera, to understand the connection between soil biodiversity, microbial soil processes and plant health.

MICROBIAL ECOLOGY OF LIGNOCELLULOSE UTILIZATION

Cellulose and hemicellulose are among the most abundant microbial carbon substrates in terrestrial environments. However, the few model organisms and enzymatic processes that are currently used are limited by the lack of information on metabolic rates, detailed physiology and adequate growth conditions. In nature, lignocellulose is degraded as a cooperative process through the participation of complex microbial communities. We are interested in addressing whether microbial communities break down and utilize these substrates more efficiently than specialized isolates. A key component of this work is also the discovery of new organisms, new enzymes and new metabolic pathways involved in the breakdown of lignocellulose and the production of biofuels and other biomaterials.