Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
Department of Plant Biology & Pathology
59 Dudley Road
Foran Hall
Tel: (732) 932-9711 ext. 162
zhang@aesop.rutgers.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University (2002)
M.S. Systematic Mycology and Lichenology Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences (1996)
Population and evolutionary biology of fungi and molecular detection of fungal pathogens
I have two primary research interests: population and evolutionary biology of fungi and molecular detection of important plant pathogenetic fungi on turfgrasses. The basic questions we try to address include (1) Why is there so much genetic variation within populations? (2) What are the evolutionary forces that maintain variation in populations? (3) Are there associations between genetic variation and virulence of plant pathogens? (4) How did the plant diseases originate and evolve? (5) What’s the phylogenetic relationship between turfgrass pathogens and fungi in other habitats? etc. New pathogens are emerging all the time and many known pathogens are fast evolving due to dramatic climate change, host switching, and frequent transportation by humans. In addition to studying the evolution of fungi, we are interested in developing molecular tools for rapid pathogen detection and identification, such as Pathochip (DNA array technique) and real-time PCR. The application of the new tools will facilitate disease management, plant breeding, and the study of microbial community.
Publications
O’Donnell, K., Sutton, D. A., Fothergill, A., McCarthy, D., Brandt, M.,Zhang, N. and Geiser, D. M. 2008. Molecular phylogenetic diversity, multilocus haplotype nomenclature, and in vitro antifungal resistance within the Fusarium solani species complex. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 46:2477-2490Bidartondo M. I. (256 authors) 2008. Preserving accuracy in GenBank. Science 319:1616.
Zhang, N., McCarthy, M. L., and Smart, C. D. 2008. A macroarray system for the detection of multiple fungal and oomycete pathogens of solanaceous crops from field samples. Plant Disease 92:953-960.
Gilbert, C. A., Zhang, N., Hutmacher, R. B., Davis, R. M., and Smart, C. D. 2008. Development of a DNA-based macroarray for the detection and identification of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum in cotton tissue. Journal of Cotton Science 12(2):165-170.
Pokharel, R. R., Abawi, G. S., Zhang, N. Duxbury, J. M., and Smart, C. D. 2007. Characterization of isolates of Meloidogyne from rice-wheat production fields in Nepal. Journal of Nematology 39(3):221-230.
Zhang, N., Geiser, D. M., and Smart, C. D. 2007. Macroarray detection of solanacous plant pathogens in the Fusarium solani species complex. Plant Disease 91:1612-1620.
