Dr. Thiago Maia
Post-Doc Rsch Assoc Plant Pathology University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Contact
- Address
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BEAD N315
Lincoln NE 68588-0722 - Phone
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402-472-2871 On-campus 2-2871
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tmaia2@unl.edu
I have a genuine interest in understanding the mechanisms by which plants initiate immune responses upon detecting pathogens, as well as how these pathogens suppress plant immunity to induce disease. My Ph.D. research and preceding postdoctoral studies focused on using a heterologous system based on the Type Three Secretion System from Pseudomonas to express and deliver fungal candidate effectors into plant cells. Through this methodology, I discovered numerous effectors from the sugarcane smut fungus (Sporisorium scitamineum) as well as uncovering the first avirulence protein from the coffee rust fungus (Hemileia vastatrix). My current study at UNL is focused on identifying the molecular elements and processes underlying Arabidopsis thaliana's nonhost resistance responses against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci. To accomplish this, I have been employing a combination of proteomics, transcriptomics, and cellular approaches. I absolutely enjoy following the daily progress of my research and the fresh discoveries that lie ahead.