Dr. Aurelie Rakotondrafara

Biography

Aurelie Rakotondrafara is a Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. and M.S. from Iowa State University and a B.S. from Universite d’Antananarivo in Madagascar. Her research primarily focuses on the mechanistic details of viral translation control, particularly in relation to the Potyviridae family, which accounts for approximately 30% of damaging crop viruses. Rakotondrafara's work investigates the interactions between viral genomic encoded proteins and host factors. She studies the nuances of mutations in resistance genes and their roles in plant-virus interactions, emphasizing the importance of understanding how RNA viruses utilize internal ribosome entry sites (IRES) for translation. This knowledge is crucial for developing strategies to combat viral infections in plants, which have significant implications for agriculture.

Research Interests