About
Maria Harrison studies the associations of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plants. These mutualistic symbioses, which develop in plant roots, occur very broadly in terrestrial ecosystems and play a significant role in plant health. Research in Maria’s lab investigates the mechanisms underlying development and functioning of AM symbioses and asks how plant cells are reprogrammed to accommodate the fungal endosymbionts and how phosphate and carbon are transferred between the plant and fungus. Additionally, her research investigates the interactions of AM fungi with the soil microbiota and the roles of a conserved AM fungal microbiome.
Awards
- Member, U.S National Academy of Sciences, 2019
- American Society of Plant Biologists, Dennis R. Hoagland Award, 2015
- Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring, 2015
- Fellow of the American Academy for Microbiology, 2013
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2012
Relevant Publications
- Ivanov, S., Austin II, J., Berg, R.H. and Harrison, M.J. (2019) Extensive membrane systems at the host- arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus interface. Nature Plants 5, 194-203 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0364-5
- Bravo, A., Pumplin, N., York, T.L., Mueller, L.A., and Harrison M, J. (2016). Genes conserved for arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis identified through phylogenomics. Nature Plants 2. DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2015.208
- Javot, H., Penmetsa, R.V., Terzaghi, N., Cook D.R. and Harrison, M.J. (2007) A Medicago truncatula phosphate transporter indispensable for the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104: 1720-1725.DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0608136104