Dr. Johanna Del Castillo Múnera

Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension
Department of Plant Pathology
University of California, Davis
Email: jdelcastillo@ucdavis.edu

Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Michigan State University
M.S. Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
B.S. Microbiology, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
Areas of interest: Basic biologic understanding of fungal and oomycete pathogens, and development of applied research to solve current problems that agriculture faces in greenhouse to the field continuum. I am particularly interested in developing and improving sustainable solutions for disease control through studies of fungal and oomycete biology, population genetics, and community ecology.

Dean Watson

Staff Research Associate
Accreditation to Improve Restoration (AIR)
email: dcwatson@ucdavis.edu
B.S. Biological Sciences, UC Davis

Areas of Interest: Understanding Plant Pathosystems, including Microbial Ecology, Mycology, and Plant-Pathogen Relationships; Restoration Pathology and Ecology, California Native Habitat Restoration and Environmental Protection, and Disease Diagnostics. Teaching, Mentorship, and Science Communication.

 

Sergio Gabriel Peralta

Post-doctoral researcher
email: sgabrielperalta@ucdavis.edu
PhD. Plant Science, University of Connecticut
M.S. Agronomy, University of Nebraska
B.S. Agricultural Parasitology,Autonomous University of Chapingo, Mexico

Areas of Interest: Population genetics of emerging fungal diseases, phylogenetics and phylogenomics and development of diagnostics tools.

 

Megan Gastelum

Graduate Student
email: megastelum@ucdavis.edu
B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, minor: Global Disease Biology, UC Davis

Areas of interest: Characterizing fungal and oomycete pathogens in vegetable transplants and ornamentals, systems aproach for disease management.  General interest in sustainable agriculture practices, extension and outreach, population-based disease ecology and disease diagnostics.

 

Sophia Acker 

Junior Specialist
email: swacker@ucdavis.edu
B.S.  Ecological Management and Restoration, UC Davis

Areas of interest:  Disease management and the pathway between nurseries/greenhouses and the field.

 

Kayleigh Lampe

Junior Specialist
email: klampe@ucdavis.edu
B.S. Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation), Sacramento State University

Areas of interest: Plant disease diagnostics, Best Management Practices in nursery production, genetic resistance and biotechnology applied into plant disease management.

 

CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Bruno Del Moral, bdelmoral@ucdavis.edu
Connor Goralka, clgoralka@ucdavis.edu
Nadine Lanila, nclanila@ucdavis.edu
Evan Padhiar, eppadhiar@ucdavis.edu

PAST LAB MEMBERS

Ruchika Kashyap (Former Post-doctoral researcher, currently Assistant Professor, Urban and Controlled Environment Pathology, University of Georgia)
Cynthia DuBridge (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Rahul Chawda (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Kathelyn Vang (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Emily Carranza (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Dimitri Arndt-Truong (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Andy Salazar (Junior Specialist)
Maggie Pena (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Javier Damian Casillas (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Ushta Samal (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Natalie Troglio (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Elver Lopez Raymundo (Lab technician)
Molly Irvin (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Jesica Calderon (Undergraduate Research Assistant)