Borkovich Research Group

Our laboratory investigates the biology, genetics and genomics of filamentous (multicellular) fungi, using the model organism Neurospora crassa and the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Our focus is on environmental sensing mechanisms, with an emphasis on heterotrimeric G protein signaling and control of plant cell wall deconstruction.  We also have projects centered on statistical analysis of large phenotype datasets, small RNA biology in F. oxysporum and fungicide resistance in filamentous fungi.
 

We utilize a wide variety of approaches in our research, including gene knockouts, transcriptional and translational profiling of mRNAs, western analysis, heterologous expression and purification of proteins from E. coli, fluorescence microscopy, enzyme assays and metabolomics. We also teach the capstone course for the UC Riverside Microbiology major every year, where we involve undergraduate students in our research projects.