Small grains/Agronomy: Peanut

In 2016, graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a Bachelor’s in Biology and a minor in chemistry. I am currently working on crop improvement and disease resistance of Peanut. Peanuts and many other ground crops are at risk for Aspergillus spp. colonization and aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxins are harmful to both humans and animals due to their carcinogenic characteristics. My research focuses on using Host Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) and RNA interference (RNAi) against Aspergillus species and aflatoxin contamination in corn, peanut, and wheat. I am also identifying target cells to better develop the CRISPR/Cas9 system in peanut and lettuce.