Plants in nature are exposed to a tremendous variety of microbes. Similar to our gut and skins, plant roots and leaves are heavily colonized by these microbes, constituting a plant-associated microbial community called the "plant microbiota". Our research aims to understand how these commensal microbes influence plant growth and defense. 

To support the growth of aboveground tissues, roots grow into soils that contain a complex microbial ecosystem. It may contain not only beneficial microbes providing goods to plants but also pathogenic microbes potentially causing severe disease symptoms. Plants cope with these microbes by so-called plant immunity, avoiding unwanted infection by these pathogens.

However, it is also known that overactivation of immunity results in growth restriction, similar to the allergic hypersensitive response we frequently experience – especially if you have severe hay fever. It has been a mystery how plants balance growth and immunity in the presence of soil microbes, and we recently found that root microbiota members ("commensal microbes") play a pivotal role in root growth-defense coordination. 

Our fundamental research interest is to understand how plants coordinate root growth and immunity in the presence of such a complex microbial community. Addressing this question would allow us to reveal the true art of life of plants living in nature using the words of molecular genetics. Ultimately, we may uncover the trajectory of land plant evolution mediated by the interaction with soil microbe, or we may build a basis for developing sustainable agricultural practices without heavily relying on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

As in the case of plant microbiota, what matters in a research group is its diversity. We aim to build a group with different ideas, views, perspectives, cultures, genders, religions, and career and life event options, because the synergy created by such diversity is instrumental for pursuing truly innovative, exciting, and fun science. If you feel us and are interested in being a part of us, just come by our lab, and we can always have a chat about how plants and microbes are fascinating.