Fungal and Oomycete Biology
- Genetics and Genomics
- Cell and Developmental Biology
- Systematics, Ecology and Evolution
The study of fungi and oomycetes has a special place in the history of plant pathology because so many of these organisms were identified first as plant pathogens, and the majority of plant pathogens are in these groups. Today we know that many fungi and oomycetes are not deleterious to plants, but in fact can be beneficial. The Field of Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology hosts a vibrant program that emphasizes the biology of fungi and oomycetes at all levels of biological organization.
Students in this program may conduct research on a wide variety of topics in fungal or oomycete biology. They may study fungi or oomycetes as pathogens (plant and insect pathogens), symbionts (mycorrhizal associations), or saprobes (including model laboratory organisms). In addition to four core courses in Plant Pathology, students in the Fungal and Oomycete Biology program typically take advanced courses in allied fields such as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics and Development, and Genomics. Students graduate from the Fungal and Oomycete Biology Program exceptionally well prepared to teach courses in classical and contemporary fungal biology, and to engage in competitive research in a wide range of areas related to fungi and oomycetes.
Faculty affiliated with the Fungal and Oomycete Biology program
Examples of additional Plant Pathology courses that might be taken:
- PlPa 309 Fungi
- PlPa 319 Mushrooms of Field and Forest
- PlPa 394 Circadian Rhythms
- PlPa 448 Evolution and Ecology of Symbiotic Relationships
- PlPa 638 Filamentous Fungal Genomics and Development
- PlPa 649 Fungal Biology
- PlPa 664 Oomycete Biology
- PlPa 669 Advanced Topics in Microbial Genetics
Examples of other courses that might be taken:
- BioBM 639 The Nucleus
- STBTRY 682 Statistical Genomics
Fungal and oomycete biology students on class field trip.