Recruit

The Department of Plant & Microbial Biology at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for a Postdoctoral Employee in the Mary C Wildermuth Lab, in the area of Plant-Microbe Interactions.

The Wildermuth Lab at UC Berkeley studies plant-microbe interactions interrogating both sides of the interaction to uncover fundamental processes that dictate the success of an adapted pathogen on a given host.

The Wildermuth Lab developed the methodology and a high throughput pipeline to silence powdery mildew genes and evaluate their efficacy in limiting powdery mildew proliferation on the plant host. Powdery mildews are obligate biotrophic pathogens that cannot be cultured and have incomplete or missing core metabolic pathways as they have evolved to acquire those compounds from the host. Powdery mildew fungi colonize diverse hosts including grapevine.

Over the past six years, we applied our knowledge of the powdery mildew-Arabidopsis system to develop spray-induced silencing against the powdery mildew Erysiphe necator of grapevine. We have four years of field trials at multiple sites and have shown effective reduction in powdery mildew disease of grapevine in CA vineyards similar to commonly used synthetic pesticides. Because powdery mildew resistance has evolved against these synthetic pesticides and their use is being increasingly limited or banned, the need for more sustainable benign methods of powdery mildew control is urgent.

We received a California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CA DPR) grant to further evaluate the use of spray-induced gene silencing in vineyards for powdery mildew control. The CA DPR only funds projects likely to be effective, needed, and environmentally-friendly.

The postdoctoral emoloyee will spend 50% time on vineyard field trial related efforts and 50% time performing molecular work to further optimize our dsRNA products, assess the fate of the dsRNA, and other relevant genome analysis and fundamental discovery.

The successful candidate will work directly with members of the Wildermuth lab, PMB, UC Cooperative Extension Professors and vineyard field managers/pest control advisors. In addition, members of the Wildermuth lab typically interact with members of diverse UC Berkeley Departments and the entrepreneurial community and utilize UC Berkeley centers for sequencing, imaging, and plant growth. The postdoctoral employee will lead publication of academic papers and may present results at national and/or international conferences.

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.