PMB faculty to co-lead new carbon storage initiatives at Innovative Genomics Institute
Work by Professors Krishna Niyogi, Peggy Lemaux, Jill Banfield, and Brian Staskawicz will be supported by an $11 million commitment from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Deciphering Microbial Mysteries
PMB graduate students Basem Al-Shayeb and Luis Valentin-Alvarado were featured in Breakthroughs magazine for their research that is helping reshape our understanding of the bacterial world.
Understanding how plants can grow in high magnesium environments
Research from the lab of Sheng Luan helps explain how some plants could tolerate the magnesium levels found in inhospitable places like California’s serpentine soils—or even on Mars.
CRISPRing the microbiome is just around the corner
CRISPR is widely used to target specific cell types, but only one at a time. Two new techniques developed in the lab of Jill Banfield allow CRISPR editing of genes in multiple cell types simultaneously.
Understanding why some “fire-loving” fungi thrive after wildfire
In a new study, which was featured in the New York Times, PMB researchers uncover a food source that allows some fungi to flourish after a fire.
Engineering a hungry bacterium to protect public health
Professor Dr. Cecilia Martinez-Gomez and Dr. Nathan Good have used their research to engineer bacteria that removes gadolinium from medical waste.
Little bacteria in a big world: Making sense of microbial sensing
A new discovery from the Portnoy lab helps scientists understand how food-borne pathogens know when they’ve reached their target.
Why Sunflowers Face East
Research co-authored by scientists in the Blackman Lab explains how sunlight orientation is linked to pollination and plant reproduction.
Evolutionary arms race
In a study published in the journal Science, members of the Seed lab unlock genetic mechanisms behind cholera and its viruses.
Sophia Ewens highlighted by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
Ewens, a researcher at the Energy Biosciences Institute and graduate student in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, was noted for her recent publication in the journal PNAS.
How antibiotic-filled poop helps ‘bessbug’ beetles stay healthy
Assistant professor Matthew Traxler investigates a strategy that protects the insect from disease.
Running genetic interference
Associate professor Mary Wildermuth is developing genetic technology that could help control a virulent grapevine pathogen.
Why Open Access Is a Game Changer
In a recent opinion piece, Professor Britt Glaunsinger outlines the significant benefits of sharing scientific expertise through open access publications.