Michelle M. Moyer
Graduate Research Assistant


E-Mail: mmm78@cornell.edu

2005-present M.S/Ph.D program, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University.

Graduate advisor: Robert Seem

My dissertation project involves the development of a disease advisory system for powdery mildew of grape. Within this project I am looking at: the timing and ability for cleistothecia to release ascospores, both in a laboratory setting and in the field; the establishment and development of powdery mildew from budbreak to the onset of ontogenic resistance in fruit, with special focus on the effects of cold temperatures on host and pathogen growth; and the relationship between historical weather data and the final fruit disease outcome from those years. I am also currently working on ways to optimize the sensitivity of field air sampling methods for the detection of powdery mildew using qPCR, as a means to more closely look at related weather events and their relationship to ascospore release events.

2006-2007 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology- Cornell, under the direction of Dr. George Hudler for Plant Path 201: Magical Mushrooms and Mischevious Molds. Responsibilities include lab/demonstration set-up and management, writing mentorship and grading.

2005 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology-Cornell, under the direction of Dr. Michael Milgroom for Plant Path 301: Plant Disease and Disease Management. Responsibilities include teaching a laboratory section (diagnostic techniques, sample collections, pathogen culturing techniques), preparing quizzes, grading of assignments, and holding office hours.

2005 Laboratory Technician, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic.  This involved preparing submitted samples for analysis, writing Extension Disease Fact Sheets, and working in conjunction with agronomic extension agents on molecular detection of Phakospora pachyrhizi, the causal agent of Soybean Rust.

2004-2005 Undergraduate Research Assistance, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin- Madison; Stanosz Forest Pathology Lab.  Aided in collection and partial sequencing of various Leptographium species and ophiostomoid fungi from Red Pine stands.  Job detail included isolating and culturing the fungi, DNA extraction and partial b–tubulin sequencing, and some phylogenic comparisons. The work was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin DNR and preliminary findings were reported and the 2005 Wisconsin DNR Forest Health meeting.

2004 Undergraduate Research Assistant/Summer Intern, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, under the direction of Dr. Zhixiang Chen.  I was involved in looking for protein-protein interactions of  PR proteins encoded by various WRKY domain genes using a new yeast-2-hybrid system for transcription factors.  Techniques involved included gene cloning, bacterial and yeast transformation, and large-scale DNA extraction.

2004-2005 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology/Farm and Industry Short Course, University of Wisconsin-Madison.   Aided in laboratory set-up and questions, helped students with assigned term papers in this industry-focused plant disease course.

American Phytopathological Society
American Wine Society

2007 American Wine Society Graduate Scholar
2007 American Society of Enology and Viticulture Graduate Scholar
2007 APS Foundation John S. Niederhauser Student Travel Award
2006 NSF Graduate Fellowship Honorable Mention
2006 American Wine Society Graduate Scholar
2006 Cornell University Outstanding Teaching Assistant, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
2006 American Society of Viticulture and Enology Scholar
2005 Cornell University Graduate Fellowship

Moyer, M.M, Gadoury, D.M., Seem, R.C., and Wilcox, W.F. 2007. Towards an advisory system for grapevine powdery mildew in cooler climates. Phytopathology 97:S80

Moyer, M. M. Diseases of Garlic. 2006. The Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic: Factsheet. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

Moyer, M. M., Hudelson, Brian D. Brown Spot (Septoria Leaf Spot). 2005. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Wisconsin Farm Facts #XGT1005.