Scott Gold (University of Georgia, USA)

Speaker: Prof. Scott Gold (University of Georgia, USA)

Talk: An earful of corn smut

Time: Wednesday, 3rd of September 2014, 8:30

Venue: Biotechnology Summer School 2014, OW Syrenka, Stegna

Category: Invited lecture during Biotechnology Summer School

Scott Gold, biographical note

Research Plant Pathologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service.  Gold earned a PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of California in the laboratory of the pioneer plant pathologist Noel Keen.  He joined ARS in 2011 after 17 years as a Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia (UGA). At UGA among other fungal plant pathogens Gold explored the genetics of dimorphism in the corn smut pathogen, Ustilago maydis.  He and colleagues, primarily through forward genetic approaches, demonstrated the control of fungal dimorphism (budding vs filamentous growth forms) by the cAMP and MAP kinase signaling pathways. This ability to convert between these forms is critical to the ability of the pathogen to cause disease.  Currently at the USDA-ARS, Gold is involved in studies toward the control of food contamination by poisonous mycotoxins. Gold has been an active volunteer in the American Phytopathological Society (APS) serving as a two term member of the APS Public Policy Board with focus on microbial genomics and culture collections.  He is the recipient of the APS 2006 Outstanding Volunteer award and the 2010 APS Excellence in Teaching Award .  He just completed a three year term as the inaugural Director of the APS Office of Education. While carrying out ARS research he continues to teach a general science elective course on that amazing biology of fungi at UGA entitled "Fungi, friends and foes".