The Brown lab conducts research that focuses on elucidation of (1) emergent plant viral pathogens and phylodynamics at the crop-wild host interface, (2) virus-insect vector transmission specificity using reverse genetics to probe mechanisms involved in these co-evolved pathosystems, and (3) relationships between virome-phytomicrobiome communities and prospective beneficial viruses.
What we learn is applicable to abatement of emerging diseases through the application of new knowledge about the pathosystem, to guide management of pathogen-arthropod vector complexes, with specific interest in deploying RNA-interference for hemipteran vectors, and in planta molecular circuits for virus surveillance (early-warning) and abatement of early-infection processes.
Current Research Projects
- Emerging plant DNA virus-vector complexes: biology, -omics discovery sequencing, and phylodynamics at the crop-wild host plant interface
- Phylogeography, gene flow, and evolution of the Bemisia tabaci cryptic species
- Biology & functional genomics of begomovirus-whitefly transmission specificity
- Effectors involved in psyllid vector -‘Ca.’ Liberibacter invasion and propagative transmission
- dsRNA biopesticides for management of hemipteran vector/pathogen complexes
- Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus-Chlorella spp. pathogenicity determinants and virus-like elements
- Plant viral partners within the phytomicrobiome