AKIRA MINE

Plants do not live in isolation but host a multitude of microbes. Among plant-associated microbes, bacteria are most diverse and range from pathogens causing diseases to mutualists benefiting plants. I wish to comprehend how plants and bacteria have co-evolved by means of their interactions. Since adaptation to environments is a key driver of  evolutionary processes, I am especially interested in how plant-bacteria interactions are shaped by the surrounding environment. For instance, bacterial disease outbreaks are often associated with warm and humid conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms behind these biological phenomena are poorly understood. By disentangling how high temperature and high humidity influence the plant and the bacteria during an active interaction, I aim to design plant protection measures that are robust against climate change. I am also interested in how a plant and its resident bacteria co-adapt to the surrounding environment. My research combines cutting-edge techniques in plant molecular genetics and molecular microbiology with bioinformatics such as functional genomics and network analysis.

Here are some keywords regarding my research: Plant-bacteria interactions, Stomata, Plant immunity, Phytohormones, Environmental response, Regulation of gene expression, Genome assembly, RNA sequencing. Please feel free to contact me if you have an interest in my research.