Leaders in Our Field
Plants and microbes are the foundation of life. Advancing discoveries in plant research is essential to civilization, and that’s exactly what we do.
Our undergraduate and graduate students participate in research projects across an array of plant and microbiology disciplines — everything from biotechnology and cell biology to ecology and systematics. Students learn from experts who specialize not only in agriculturally important crops, but also those found in natural ecosystems, and model plants and microorganisms.
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🌲What happens when fire shapes the northernmost longleaf pine forests?
🔥This summer, plant biology senior Michael Izzo headed into Virginia’s Blackwater Ecological Preserve to study how flames, history, and chance determine which species survive at the very edge of this iconic ecosystem. Working in one of the oldest mature longleaf pine stands in Virginia, Izzo documented how different burn histories influence plant communities, from which species appear after fire to how they grow under shifting conditions. His project also tested how manually removing plants affects regrowth and species turnover, offering new insight into why some plants thrive only under very specific northern‑range conditions. Along the way, he collaborated with ecologists and zoologists to understand how insects and animals fit into this fire‑dependent landscape.
🔎Read more about his summer in the forest on our website!
#NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #FireEcology
🦠Join us for a PMB Department Seminar with Dr. Debjani Sihi, who will explore how microbial processes, ecosystem modeling, and AI help us understand soils in a changing world.
🕒The seminar will take place on September 10, 2026 from 12-1 PM in 3503 Thomas Hall (Stephens Room)
🎦Zoom link available at go.ncsu.edu/dejanisihi.
🐝Two students, one summer, and a whole lot of honey bee microbiome science.
🔬This summer Annie Sahd and Gretchen Taylor worked with the BeeMORE. The BeeMORE program is a 10‑week USDA‑funded summer research experience that trains undergraduates in bee biology and microbiology. It is centered on understanding pollinators, microbes, and their ecological and agricultural importance. Annie explored how diet and microbial exposure affect queen bee development, while Gretchen isolated and characterized Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli living in the bee gut.
👀If you want to read more about each of their research and other students experiences, check out the article on our website!
#NCSU #ThinkandDo #BeeMORE #PlantBiology #Microbiology
