Stephen Rehner
Research in my laboratory focuses on entomopathogenic fungi, which are fungi that cause disease in insects. This research includes investigations of the evolutionary diversity and systematics of entomopathogenic fungi, their reproductive biology and the evolution and function of the genes responsible for pathogenesis, virulence and toxicity to their insect hosts. We are currently conducting comprehensive analyses of genetic diversity in three common entomopathogen genera, Beauveria, Metarhizium, and Paecilomyces. Reconstruction of evolutionary relationships among strains within these genera will help to clarify longstanding issues in the taxonomic identification of these organisms and provide a framework for comparative studies on how entomopathogenic fungi can be developed for biological control of agriculturally important insects.
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