Rosie Perez Memorial Seminar - 2008

Each year, the graduate students in the Department of Plant Pathology organize a seminar where a notable scientist in the area of plant pathology is invited to speak and interact with students and faculty in the department. The seminar is named in honor of a former graduate student, Rosie Perez, who died of cancer.

Monday, April 7, 3:00 p.m.

Ruby McSwain Education Center
JC Raulston Arboretum

"Getting the most out of fungal culture collection resources using phylogenetics" Dr. David Geiser, Director, PSU Fusarium Research Center, Penn State University

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Guest Speakers Recently Featured in this Series:

2007

In 2007, the students hosted Dr. David Gadoury, Senior Research Associate at Cornell University.

Dr. Gadoury's presentation was titled, "Everything you always wanted to know about grape powdery mildew, and several things you really need to forget"

2006

In 2006, the students hosted Dr. Timothy R. Gottwald, Research Leader and Plant Pathologist in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Dr. Gottwald's presentation was titled, "Battling Hurricanes, Dragons, and Disease: The chronicles of the citrus canker wars and the upsrising of Huanglongbing"

2005

In 2005, the students hosted Dr. Cameron White, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. White's presentation was titled, "The Agricultural Pathology of Ant Fungus Gardens"

2004

In 2004, the students hosted Dr. Frances Trail, Associate Professor of Plant Biology at Michigan State University.

Dr. Trail's presentation was titled, "Form and function of sexual structures in Gibberella zeae the head blight fungus,"

Dr. Trail specializes in the biology of fungal plant pathogens, genomics of fungi, and the molecular biology of mycotoxin biosynthesis.

2003

In 2003, the students hosted, Dr. Schuyler Korban, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology - NRES- University of Illinois. Dr. Korban's research interests include adding high-value traits to plants which includes the development of plant-based vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals. He is also interested in engineering plants for uptake of heavy metals for phytoremediation. From a basic standpoint, he is very much interested in disease resistance, including cloning and characterizing disease resistance genes as well as utilizing and pyramiding disease resistance genes into plants, including apple, tomato, rose, and soybean. Another fundamental research interest include pursuing functional genomics studies for apple with emphasis on reproductive growth, flowering and fruiting.