LUIS C. MEJÍA
Principal Investigator
Education:
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2009. Ph.D. Plant Biology and Pathology. Rutgers University
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2002. B.Sc. Biology with orientation in Microbiology and Parasitology. University of Panama
Previous Appointments:
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2010-2014. Tupper Postdoctoral Fellow. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
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2009-2010. Postdoctoral Scholar. The Pennsylvania State University.
My scientific research have focused primarily on the ecology, genetics, and systematics of plant associated microfungi, particularly on endophytes and pathogens, and why some fungi are beneficial while their close relatives are pathogens.
My approaches includes the use of basic microbiology techniques and cultural methods, genomics (metagenomics, transcriptomics, whole genome sequencing) to gain a comprehensive understanding of, what species compose microbiomes of tropical organisms and ecosystems?, what the functional role of these microbial communities or individual species are?, and how can we use the knowledge generated to manage diseases that affects society?
EVANGELINA LÓPEZ
Project Research Assistant
Microbiology and DNA Sequencing
Project Research Assistant
Systematics, Taxonomy, and Conservation of Fungi
STUDENTS
Ph.D. Candidate (Co-advised with Dr. Marcelino Gutiérrez)
Acahrya Nagarjuna University and INDICASAT AIP
Genomic-driven discovery of natural products from strains of Pseudoalteromonas
YALESKIA VALDÉS
Undergraduate Student
Universidad de Panama
Anthracnose Disease of Anacardium excelsum
KYRIA ÁVILA
B. Sc. Student
Universidad de Panama
American Leaf Spot of Coffee
Visiting Graduate Student
Biodiversity and Function of Bacteria Associated to the Cacao Pod
