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Sharifa Crandall is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at Penn State University. She leads the Soilborne Disease Ecology Lab, focusing on the research of soilborne pathogens and their impact on plant disease dynamics over time and space. Her current research emphasizes the analysis of spatio-temporal relationships of fungal phenotypes, diversity, and function, utilizing microbiome-related tools to analyze soil fungi that serve as diagnostic indicators of plant stress in specialty crops like potato and grape. Additionally, she investigates the phylogenetic distribution of critical soilborne microbial functional traits, such as reproduction, decomposition, and nutrient transfer, in both heavily managed agricultural and natural ecosystems. Dr. Crandall employs fungal metagenomic approaches for pathogen detection and distribution mapping. She is also dedicated to mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. Prior to her role at Penn State, she was a science educator at Harvard University and conducted research as a postdoctoral researcher at Cal State Monterey Bay and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
The Pennsylvania State University • University Park, PA
Teaches courses and conducts research in plant pathology and environmental microbiology.
Cal State Monterey Bay, USDA Agricultural Research Service • Salinas, California
Conducted research on soilborne pathogens and their impact on agriculture.
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