Our department studies the interaction of plants and microbes with theirenvironment. Specific research topics include the positive and negativeeffects of biotic (pathogenic and symbiotic) and abiotic (temperature, salinity,oxidative) stresses in plants and microbes, and their roles in adaptation oforganisms to the adverse environmental conditions. Another major emphasis of the department is on thegenetics of stress signaling pathways. We also study iron homeostasis andbiological rhythms in plants.  Several research groups are exploring themicrobial ecology of tree surfaces and how microbes grow in biofilms under high salt conditions, whileother groups are studying the engineering of microbes as biosensors. Photosynthesis isa major focus of one of the groups, which is investigating the structure and dynamics ofthe photosynthetic apparatus. All of our research is carried out using state-of-the-art genetic, biochemical and cell biology basedapproaches.Ourdepartment studies the interaction of plants and microbes with theirenvironment. Specific research topics include the positive and negativeeffects of biotic (pathogenic and symbiotic) and abiotic (temperature, salinity,oxidative) stresses in plants and microbes, and their roles in adaptation oforganisms to the adverse environmental conditions. Another major emphasis of the department is on thegenetics of stress signaling pathways. We also study iron homeostasis andbiological rhythms in plants.  Several research groups are exploring themicrobial ecology of tree surfaces and how microbes grow in biofilms under high salt conditions, whileother groups are studying the engineering of microbes as biosensors. Photosynthesis isa major focus of one of the groups, which is investigating the structure and dynamics ofthe photosynthetic apparatus. All of our research is carried out using state-of-the-art genetic, biochemical and cell biology based approaches.