Principal Investigators and Mentors
Associate Professor
Dr. Shahid Siddique
I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis. My research focuses on enhancing the basic understanding of interaction between plants and nematodes. I am also interested in applied research to develop new tools and resources for management of plant parasitic nematodes. I love everything about nematodes.
Originally, I am from Pakistan, but spent a major part of my life in Europe. Outside of lab, I enjoy long drives, hiking, gardening, and meeting friends.
4208 Storer Hall
Department of Entomology & Nematology
University of California, Davis
95616, Davis USA
Email: ssiddique@ucdavis.edu
Phone: +530-754-7659
Professor Emeritus, Plant Pathology
Dr. Valerie Williamson
I have worked with root-knot nematodes and other plant parasitic nematodes for over 30 years. My interests have included host resistance, molecular identification, genetics and genomics, and nematode behavior. I collaborate with the Siddique lab on several projects. When I am not in the lab, I like to spend time in nature especially on the beautiful California coast
Email: vmwilliamson@ucdavis.edu
Fulbright Visiting Fellow
Dr. Tushar K. Dutta
Dr. Tushar K. Dutta is a Senior Scientist (Nematology) at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India. During his Ph.D. program (2007-2010) he visited Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, United Kingdom as UKIERI Research Fellow (British Council funded). During his professional career at IARI since 2010 he has served as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI in a number of research projects funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He teaches a number of Nematology courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students. He is currently guiding 4 Ph.D. students. His research interests include molecular basis of plant-nematode interaction, characterization of bacterial toxins for insect pest management etc. Using RNAi, functional analysis of several plant parasitism processes was deciphered including the role of Mi-cpl-1 in metabolic process, FLP and NLP neuropeptides in neuromusculation process, ODR and TAX proteins in chemotaxis process, cell wall degrading enzymes and various MSP effectors in infection process of plant nematodes. He has contributed in understanding the genetic basis of nematode resistance in rice via genome-wide association mapping coupled with omics-driven strategies. He is currently pursuing genome editing research for developing nematode resistance by adopting CRISPR/Cas9 strategy in Arabidopsis, rice and tomato
Email:
Postdocs
Postdoc, Department of entomology and Nematology
Bardo Castro
I am a Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis. I am interested in plant-nematode interactions, and how we can apply this knowledge to enhance
plant resistance. My project focuses on investigating plant genes important for nematode parasitic interactions. Our goal is to understand which plant pathways are utilize by nematodes during parasitism. Through identification of these susceptibility genes, we hope to utilize
CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools to generate plants with enhanced resistance towards parasitic nematodes.
I was born in Mexico but grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. Outside of the lab I enjoy spending time with my family, video games, movies, and watching basketball (Go Warriors!).
Postdoc, Department of entomology and Nematology
Dadong Dai
I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of California, Davis, where I investigate the biology of parasitic nematodes through a combination of molecular biology and bioinformatics. My research primarily focuses on nematode genomics, specifically examining the relationship between polyploidization and host spectrum expansion, as well as the role of DNA methylation in nematode life cycles. Currently, my work is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms through which root-knot nematodes (RKNs) breach the defenses of resistant tomato plants, with the aim of understanding patterns in the adaptive evolution of RKNs.
Originally from China, I earned my undergraduate and PhD degrees from Huazhong Agricultural University. Beyond academia, I have a deep passion for the outdoors. My hobbies include hiking, cycling, beachcombing, and fishing, alongside a keen interest in playing badminton.
Graduate Students
Graduate Student, Plant Pathology
Alison Blundell
I am a fourth year graduate student in the Plant Pathology Department here at UC Davis. My current projects are focusing on plant parasitic nematodes, specifically root-knot nematodes, and their molecular mechanisms to defend against plant immune systems. I am also working to gain more understanding in the defense mechanism in plants towards plant parasitic nematodes.
Originally I am from St. Louis, Missouri region, but received my degrees from Concordia University, Nebraska. My undergraduate degrees were in B.S. Biology and B.A. in Chemistry. I enjoy time outdoors, animals of all varieties, and serving my community.
Email: alcoomer@ucdavis.edu
Graduate Student, Plant Pathology
Pallavi Shakya
I am a third year PhD student in Siddique Lab. I am interested in exploring plant parasitic nematodes from a combination of plant pathology and bioinformatics viewpoints. I did my Master’s in Plant Biotechnology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands where I was introduced to transcriptomics of potato cyst nematodes. Working with these nematodes showed me the importance of understanding plants along with the parasites they have co-evolved with. In Siddique lab, I plan to learn about the genomics and transcriptomics aspects of plant-nematode interaction.
I am originally from Nepal and I love momos!
When I am not in the lab, I can be seen running, reading, cooking and brewing kombucha.
Email: pshakya@ucdavis.edu
Graduate Student, Plant Pathology
Ching-Jung Lin
I am a PhD student in Plant Pathology with a designated emphasis in Biotechnology, and I am fascinated by plant-microbe interaction! Currently I am interested in the development of functional genetic tools in plant-parasitic nematodes and the characterization of nematode-induced plant immunity. I am originally from Taiwan. My previous scientific journey in accumulating my passion for my research includes B.S. in Agronomy (National Chung-Hsing University), M.S. in Plant Biology (National Taiwan University), and technician training in Plant and Microbial Biology (Academia Sinica).
Outside of the lab I enjoy reading, jogging, playing badminton, and going to the gym. I am a coffee and dog person.
Email: chjlin@ucdavis.edu
Graduate Student, Entomology
Veronica Casey
I am a second year graduate student in the Department of Entomology and Nematology. I am interested in plant parasitic nematodes from an agricultural pest management and sustainability perspective. I am excited to perform cutting edge research that improves the environment and food security. I have a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and I am from the Chicago suburbs. My hobbies include playing video games, crocheting, and kickboxing.
Email: vicasey@ucdavis.edu
Graduate Student, Plant Pathology
Romnick Latina
I am a first year PhD student at the Siddique Lab. Prior to embarking on my PhD journey, I served as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. There, I also obtained my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, specializing in Plant Pathology, and later secured a Master of Science in Nematology with distinction at Ghent University in Belgium, thanks to the VLIR-UOS Scholarship grant. My teaching portfolio includes crop protection courses, and my research delves into plant-parasitic nematodes, bacteria-based biological control methods, and molecular studies of significant insect pests.
I’m currently gearing up to pursue a PhD in Plant Pathology at the University of California Davis, with a focus on molecular plant-nematode interactions. Beyond academia, those close to me, referring to me as Nick or Kulas, know my penchant for music, anime, mobile gaming like Genshin Impact, cooking, and travel.
Email: rlatina@ucdavis.edu
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Student, Biotechnology
Aarish Ali
I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Biotechnology at UC Davis. I’m interning under Ching-Jung and Alison through the Research Scholars Program to learn more about the way that nematodes interact with their hosts and are able to infect them. I’d like to research more about the genetics of nematodes and their infection mechanisms. I am originally from the Bay Area and I enjoy watching movies, playing video games, and trying new desserts.
Undergraduate Student, Marine and Coastal Science
Jordan Wilson
I am a third year studying Marine and Coastal Science, specifically Organismal Biology and Physiology. I joined Siddique Lab in October, where I am exploring different aspects of Microbiology and Genetics under the supervision of Veronica. In the future, I hope to continue my career in research and start a project that combines my major and subjects that I am passionate about. Outside of the lab, I enjoy drawing, going on walks, and shopping with friends.
Undergraduate Student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cherry Liu
I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I would like to learn more about microbe-plant interactions and of course plants themselves! I am currently under Alison and I hope to conduct research on pharmaceutical constituents in plants in the future. In my spare time, I watch anime and drama and learn new languages from these shows.
Past Members
Dr. Henok Zemene Yimer
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Ado Sales
Undergraduate (Research Scholars Program)
Shelly Szumski
Lab Manager
Deeksha Shakya
Undergraduate Researcher (Global Disease Biology)
Emma Shigekane Kraft
Undergraduate Researcher (Global Disease Biology)
Chia-Jui (Joyce) Lin
Undergraduate Researcher (Biological Sciences)
Matthew Kramer, Undergraduate Researcher
Junette Sarah Balmoja, Undergraduate Researcher
Manvir Sambhi, Undergraduate Researcher
Clarissa HilTl, Visiting PhD scholar
Kyle Lee, Undergraduate Researcher
Moanam Khalid, Undergraduate Researcher