Richard W. Michelmore PhD

Dr. Richard W. Michelmore is the founding Director of the Genome Center at the University of California at Davis since 2003. He received B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He has been on the faculty of UC Davis since 1982; he is currently a Professor in the Departments of Plant Sciences, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Medical Microbiology & Immunology. His multidisciplinary research utilizes a synthesis of molecular, genetic, and evolutionary approaches. His interests span basic research into the molecular basis of specificity in plant-pathogen interactions to translational plant genetics. His research is focused on comparative and functional plant genomics with an emphasis on disease resistance (http://michelmorelab.ucdavis.edu). In addition, his program coordinates and hosts the bioinformatics component of the Compositae Genome Project (http://compgenomics.ucdavis.edu/). His interests include applications of next-generation DNA sequencing approaches to all areas of biology and its imminent impact on society in general. In particular, he aims to exploit such approaches for information-driven deployment of resistance genes in plants to provide durable disease resistance. He is interested in fostering research to enhance food security internationally.