Jan Gaertner

The vast majority of land plants depend on symbioses in order to acquire the nutrients they need for growth. In order to better understand the molecular basis of these plant-fungal relationships, I am studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms by which Arabidopsis thaliana associates with its root endosymbiont Colletotrichum tofieldiae. In doing so, I hope to establish and develop a genetically accessible system for mutualistic plant-root symbiosis.