Mutations found to disrupt the development of the larval visual system or the larval response to light can be used to identify molecules involved in these processes. To that end, mutations or molecular tools are used to impair specific cell types and/or cellular interactions. My laboratory uses the larval visual system of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to investigate the mechanisms underlying the development and function of the nervous system. Given the success of this approach it is not surprising that genetics is being used to address a wide range of neurobiological questions including the generation of behaviour. The ability to generate genetic variants has greatly aided the study of biochemical and developmental pathways. I encourage them to improve in areas they find challenging by reminding them it takes time, but it’s worth it. As a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, I facilitate their growth as scientists and people. As an instructor my goals include convincing students/future citizens that contrary to popular opinion, plants are fascinating and incredibly important for people and the planet. What molecular changes allow a mature plant to perceive and effectively defend against normally virulent pathogens, is another fascinating question we are investigating. We also study the Age-Related Resistance response in which plants become highly resistant to normally virulent pathogens as they mature. We are using this knowledge to find environmentally friendly chemical treatments that initiate natural plant defense to provide pesticide-free methods to protect Ontario greenhouse-grown cucumbers and tomatoes from disease. Knowing that DIR1 is a key protein involved in inter-organ communication to initiate resistance, will allow us to dissect the priming response in distant leaves. After many years of challenging research, my team demonstrated that DIR1 proteins move via the phloem from an initially infected leaf to distant leaves to participate in alerting/priming distant leaves to respond in a resistant manner to future microbial infections. Our long-term goal is to translate our plant immunity knowledge to reduce crop loss and pesticide use in agriculture. My research group is interested in understanding the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of plant immunity. Plants like animals defend themselves from disease and sometimes succumb to microbial disease.
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