Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Michael Alexander

Field Testing of RNAi-Based Technology

Powdery mildew is the most common pathogen of grapevine. Many of the current fungicides used to control powdery mildew on grapevines have been standards in the industry for a long time, an are becoming less effective due to powdery mildew developing resistances. This summer the Wildermuth lab will be conducting vineyard field testing to test the efficacy of topical RNAi technology to control powdery mildew. My research for this summer specifically includes topical application of the lab’s RNAi technology, data collection, and the possible discovery of new RNAi targets for powdery mildew control.

Message To Sponsor

I am so grateful for being granted this award. Being a low-income first-generation college student, it is sometimes difficult finding funding and grants due to my lack of knowledge on the school system. The URAP program and my donors for this summer have really taken a large weight off of my shoulders and made this summer experience possible. I look forward to conducting my research and filling you in on the outcome at the end of the semester!