People

Sungbeom Lee

Postdoctoral Fellow

Sungbeom investigates the biosynthesis and regulation of the common, insect-induced C16 and C11-homoterpene volatiles TMTT and DMNT.

Jung-Hyun Huh

Graduate Student

Jung-Hyun (Lily) studies the biochemistry and function of terpene metabolites in Arabidopsis roots in response to the infection by the root rot pathogen Pythium irregulare.

Reza Sohrabi

Graduate Student

Reza investigates biosynthetic pathways and "modules" for the constitutive and pathogen-induced formation of volatile terpene in Arabidopsis roots.

Mengsu Huang

Graduate Student

Mengsu studies (in collaboration with Jonathan Gershenzon, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany) the role of common sesquiterpene volatiles in floral defense and the protection of plants against oxidative stress. She has also investigated molecular mechanisms responsible for the natural variation of insect-induced volatile terpenes.

Brendan Karlstrand

Undergraduate Researcher,
2010-present

Brendan investigates Arabidopsis mutants impaired in glucosinolate and terpene biosynthesis for changes in their susceptibility to the root herbivore Bradysia (fungus gnat).

Titi-Mary Omotade

Undergraduate Researcher,
2009-present

Titi-Mary characterizes root-specifi terpene synthases and analyzes the effect of terpenes on the root rot pathogen Pythium irregulare.

titimary@vt.edu

Tim Nguyen

Martha Vaughan

Graduate Student 2005-2010, now Postdoctoral Fellow at the USDA Gainesville, FL

Martha has studied the biochemistry and defensive role of diterpenes in Arabidopsis roots using Bradysia (fungus gnat) as a common root herbivore.