Harsh Bais

Associate Professor
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

University of Delaware

Delaware Biotechnology Institute
15 Innovation Way
Newark, DE 19711

Email: hbais@udel.edu
Phone: (302) 831- 4889
Fax: (302) 831- 3447
SciNav Link: http://scinav.udel.edu/individual.php?lastname=%27Bais%27&firstname=%27Harsh%27

Education:
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University
    Ph.D., Biotechnology, University of Mysore, Mysore, India 2002
    M.E., Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, Rajasthan, India, 1996

Research Overview:

Dr. Harsh Bais’ rhizosphere biology research is focused on the biological significance of root exudation. Though root exudation clearly represents a significant carbon cost to the plant, the mechanisms and regulatory processes controlling root secretion are just now beginning to be examined. Root-root, root-microbe, and root-nematode communications are continuous occurrences in the rhizosphere, but due to the underground nature of roots, these intriguing interactions have largely been overlooked. Dr. Bais’ research is taking a multidisciplinary approach by interfacing plant biology and chemistry to unravel this underground communication process. The output of such studies will not only increase our knowledge about this unique plant defense mechanism but also help us discover the novel chemical weaponry present in plant pathogens to overcome plant defenses in general.