Plant Microbe Interactions

Harsh Bais is an associate professor of plant and soil interface at University of Delaware. Dr. Bais’ rhizosphere biology research is focused on the biological significance of root-mediated responses. Root-root and root-microbe communications are continues occurrences in the rhizosphere, but due to the underground nature of roots, these intriguing interactions have largely been overlooked. His research is taking a multi-disciplinary approach by interfacing plant biology, molecular microbiology and biochemistry to unravel this underground communication process.

Janine Sherrier is a professor at the University of Delaware (UD), where she teaches leads an active research program on beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Prior to joining UD, Sherrier earned a Ph.D. in biology at Texas A&M University and continued her formal training in plant biology as a post-doctoral researcher at the John Innes Centre, Department of Genetics and the University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry. Her research team's work focuses on the interface between plant and microbial partners and has practical applications in agricultural production of crop plants