Research Program

Genomic approaches and field studies are being used in my program to improve food safety and to understand fungal biology and secondary metabolism. Gene expression profiling is being used to characterize the regulatory circuits in Aspergillus flavus governing aflatoxin biosynthesis. Field and laboratory studies are focused on understanding the ecology of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides and the inheritance of resistance to the fungi. Maize seed proteins inhibitory to mycotoxin-producing fungi are being isolated and characterized to better understand resistance mechanisms in seeds.

Dr Gary A. Payne
William Neal Reynolds Professor