Adler Dillman's lab has discovered a tiny worm species that infects and kills insects. These worms, called nematodes, could control crop pests in warm, humid places where other beneficial nematodes are currently unable to thrive.
Hailing Jin and research team observed how the plants send extracellular vesicles that are filled with RNA and the mRNA molecules that can attack mold cells. According to Jin, “These mRNAs can encode some proteins that end up in the mitochondria of the mold cells. Those are the powerhouses of any cells because they generate...
Frances Sladek and researchers study on found 'concerning' changes in gene expression in subjects that followed diets high in fat. Researchers said their study demonstrates high-fat diets not only affect the genes linked to obesity, colon cancer and irritable bowls, but also have an impact on genes related to the immune system, brain function and...
On Friday December 8th, 2023, students, faculty and special guests celebrated the 21st anniversary of the Center for Plant Cell Biology Noel T. Keen Distinguished Awards and Lecture Ceremony. This event which brings UCR's botany, plant biology, microbiology, plant pathology and other departments together in celebration to award undergraduate students, Ethan Nguyen and Michell Santiago...
Doctoral student Ann Song of the Talbot Research Group found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can spill over from humans to mink, an agricultural species, and then spill back from mink to humans. Spill back is a concern because SARS-CoV-2 can mutate in the mink and come back to humans in a more...
IIGB Director and Ernst and Helen Leibacher Endowed Chair in Botany and Plant Sciences Katayoon Dehesh participated in an interview with the Association of American Universities spotlighting both her work as a researcher and her personal growth. To learn more about Dr. Dehesh's journey, read the full article here.
Yinsheng Wang and Weifeng Gu are featured in UCR News for their work on inhibiting RNA methylation in flies and worms, with potential applications to Huntington's disease treatments. The article is based on their new work published in Nature, "m 1A in CAG repeat RNA binds to TDP-43 and induces neurodegeneration"
Anupama Dahanukar describes her lab's work on understanding how Drosophila sechellia came to be the only fly species attracted to a fruit growing on the islands. The article is based on work published in Cell Reports under the title of " Evolution of fatty acid taste in drosophilids"
UCR parasitology professor Adler Dillman joined the Something Offbeat podcast to talk about the discovery of a worm in a woman's brain, and the connection that discovery has to her diet.
Sean Cutler and Ian Wheeldon have developed a technique to make the Arabidopsis thaliana plant change color in response to the pesticide azinphos-ethyl. In an article with Wired, they explained the process of harnessing genes in the plant's stress response system to achieve this color change and its possible applications in indicating the presence of...
Research by Bioengineering Professor and IIGB member Dr. Jiayu Liao and IIGB Proteomics Core manager Dr. Quanquing Zhang was featured in the UCR campus news. The article discusses researchers' paper published in the MDPI Viruses journal which demonstrates that COVID requires human proteins to replicate. Zhang and Liao's work has potential in the development of...
Assistant Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and IIGB member, Dr. Robert Jinkerson was recently recognized with a National Science Foundation CAREER award, one of seven recipients at UCR in 2023. Awardees are chosen by NSF as faculty members who are early in their career, but already demonstrate great potential as role models and supporters...
Research by Plant Pathology and Microbiology Professor and IIGB member Dr. Hailing Jin was featured in the UCR campus news. The article discusses research published in the paper "Fungal small RNAs ride in extracellular vesicles to enter plant cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis". Dr. Jin explains the method and genetics behind grey mold infections, with applications...
Research by Biomedical Sciences Associate Professor and IIGB member Dr. Meera Nair was featured in the UCR campus news. The article discusses Dr. Nair's research with co-author Dr. Djurdjica Coss published in the paper "Sexual dimorphism in obesity is governed by RELMα regulation of adipose macrophages and eosinophils". The full article by Iqbal Pittalwala can...
Research by Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Professor and IIGB member Dr. Joel Sachs was featured in UCR campus news. The article discusses Dr. Sach's research published in the paper "Competitive interference among rhizobia reduces benefits to hosts". The full article by Iqbal Pittalwala can be found here.
April Meinzer, Financial and Administrative Officer for IIGB and Botany & Plant Sciences, was recently selected as a Spring 2023 Get Recognized award winner. Campus defines recipients of this award as career staff members who go above and beyond in their jobs, and April's work with IIGB certainly fits these characteristics. She was recognized at...
Even in apparent retirement, Mien's presence lingers, leaving an indelible mark on every corner of the lab and etched in our memories from every angle. Mien's impact on our team is undeniable, and she will forever be an integral part of our lab. Mien, as you embark on this new chapter of your life and...
In her signature powerful style, Director Katayoon (Katie) Dehesh recalls to UCR Magazine the experiences that shaped her academic career and inspires her leadership in initiatives for women. The full story can be found at Nevertheless, She Persisted
The American Society for Plant Biologists (ASPB) recently awarded the prestigious Charles Barnes Life Membership Award to Dr. Natasha Raikhel, founder of the CEPCEB program, former IIGB Director, and Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Read More
