Brief Biography
Dr. Ristaino leads a multifaceted research program with emphasis on diseases of Solanaceous crops caused by oomycete pathogens. Her research has focused primarily on the ecology and epidemiology of plant pathogens, including Phytophthora species on pepper, potato, tomato, and soybean, Peronospora tabacina on tobacco, and Sclerotium rolfsii on vegetable crops. Her laboratory has pioneered forensic DNA techniques for studying historical migrations of the late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans. Results from this work were published in the journal Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She documented that the Ia and not the Ib haplotype was responsible for historical epidemics. Her lab has documented the evolutionary history of the four mitochondrial haplotypes of P. infestans. The molecular evolution and migration of the P. infestans from South America to the US and Europe was elucidated using modern and historic specimens. Studies of populations of P. infestans in Costa Rica and Ecuador are also underway. Her laboratory is also recognized for ecological and epidemiology research on the mechanisms of dispersal of Phytophthora capsici, causal agent of Phytophthora blight on bell pepper. A major goal of her work is to develop ecologically-based disease management practices that reduce our reliance on pesticides.

Joe, Jean and Sarah, Rome, 2004