Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Chuyu Wang

Investigating the Impact of Microbial Diversity on Pathogen Protection

The composition and ecological interactions of plant-associated microbial communities can influence the host’s health and growth. Our lab built a Synthetic Community (SynCom) composed of 16 bacteria to simulate the natural microbial diversity found in tomato plants grown in a natural environment. By manipulating the composition of this SynCom, we expect to identify specific microbial community compositions (in terms of both membership and diversity) that confer the most robust protection against pathogens, thereby providing a direction for the development of eco-friendly biocontrol agents for practical agricultural production.

Message To Sponsor

Thank you so much for granting me this opportunity! Through this project—and by working alongside such an exceptional team—I can continue honing the skills essential for a research career. I am delighted to continue my research on the potential of using microorganisms as future biocontrol agents this summer. Thank you for your trust and support in my future scientific career.