Susie Harris
Education:
B.S.
in Microbiology at the University of Iowa
Project Description:
I
am focused
on understanding how mixed bacterial species modulate their behaviors
within
the Arabidopsis thaliana root microbiome to establish and maintain
community
homeostasis. Specifically, I use fluorescence microscopy to determine
the
spatiotemporal localization of beneficial and harmful bacteria as they
grow
within the rhizosphere and enter the endophytic compartment of the
root.
Additionally, I am interested in the role of abiotic and biotic
stressors, such
as nutrient stress and pathogen invasion, and how these impact plant
growth and
root microbial diversity. I hypothesize that plants and their microbial
inhabitants have co-evolved such that the most fit community will
better
survive environmental pressures. It is my goal to understand the
chemical and
genetic basis for these interactions in order to develop treatments,
composed
of biological isolates and synthesized chemicals, to enable optimal
growth of
crop plants throughout a range of environmental stresses.