Assistant Professor
About
Biography
I received my bachelors in Biological Sciences from Wellesley College and earned my PhD from Cornell University in Dr. André Kessler's lab. Before coming to the University of Michigan, I conducted postdoctoral research with Dr. Jen Lau at Indiana University.
Research Area(s)
- Plant defense
- Herbivory
- Mutualism
- Plant-microbe interactions
Research Interests
Unlike most animals, plants can’t flee from the creatures that eat them or from other stressful condtions. However, many plants have an impressive ability to defend themselves against attackers and cope with stress, often with the help of their microbiome. My research explores the ecology and evolution of plants' interactions with insect herbivores and microbes.
While plants cannot run from herbivorous animals, they are impressive chemists and can defend themselves with potent toxins. I study how plants protect their tissues from herbivores and how soil-dwelling microbes can support (or thwart) their efforts. In particular, my lab is interested in how changing environmental conditions such as nitrogen deposition affect the ecology and evolution of herbivore resistance and tolerance.
In addition to influencing plants' herbivore resistance, microorganisms in the soil can also improve plants' tolerance and ability to acclimate to abiotic stresses. My lab's current research also explores how soil microbial communities influence plant responses to stressors such as drought.
Fields of Study
- Community ecology
- Evolutionary ecology
- Chemical ecology
