Central Oregon Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Molecular epidemiology, population biology, disease modeling, and integrated disease management

• Research conducted in the plant pathology lab at the Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center aims to advance our understanding of diseases impacting high-value specialty crops grown in this region, with the ultimate goal of improved and sustainable plant disease management. Specific research interests include pathogen etiology and detection, population genetics of plant pathogens, spatial and temporal dynamics of plant disease, and identifying environmental factors that contribute to plant disease epidemics.

Research Group Members

Faculty Research Assistant

• Dr. Jeness C. Scott

Postdoc(s)

• Dr. Qunkang (Ken) Cheng
• Dr. Khuong Hua

Undergraduate Student Technician(s)

• Shaelynn Downing (2018-present)
• Tiffany Belvoir (2018-present)

Lab Alumni

• Dr. Andrea Garfinkle (Postdoctoral Scholar, 2018-2019)
• Kelley Duggan (Undergraduate Student Technician, 2017-2018)
• Dr. Navneet Kaur (Postdoctoral Scholar, 2014-2017): Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Idaho
• Travis Klopp (Undergraduate Student Technician, 2016-2017)
• Cara Boucher (BES Experiential Learning Intern – Summer 2016): M.S. Student, Oregon State University
• Julia Wilson (BES Experiential Learning Intern – Summer 2015)