Undergraduate research positions are available in comparative microbial genomics and microbial ecology to unravel evolution, ecology, and pathogenic mechanisms of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. A large collection of bacterial isolates from wild plants and crop plants has been started to uncover the diversity within this bacterial species, which has an intriguing life cycle and a possibly important role in the regulation of rain and snowfall. Taking advantage of high throughput genome sequencing technology the genomes of a dozen isolates will be sequenced, assembled, annotated, and compared using bioinformatics. The undergraduate researchers will work in an interdisciplinary team of biologists and computer scientists and will have the possibility to take part in all aspects of this project. Previous lab experience or programming experience are preferred but not required.

Contact Boris Vinatzer (vinatzer@vt.edu) for more information.