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Endophyte growing from a leaf piece

The health of all plants depends on intimate interactions with fungal symbionts such as endophytes (fungi that live within plant tissues without causing disease). Endophytic fungi can help defend plants against disease, heat stress, cold stress, drought, and nutrient-poor soils.

Many endophytes contain bacterial symbionts -- that is, endohyphal bacteria, which live within healthy endophytic fungi. These bacteria can modify the way that symbiotic fungi help host plants.

Our team has developed a laboratory system to explore how fungal and bacterial partners communicate, and to identify genes and proteins that govern these interactions. Our interdisciplinary research includes both lab- and field components in the climate-threatened forests of the southwestern US.

Our research is complemented by semester-long and summer workshops to provide high school students with hands-on research experience; training of junior scientists; and development of curriculum material for public schools.