Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 59 Dudley Road New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 732-932-8165, Ext. 215 Fax: 732-932-6535 tumer@aesop.rutgers.edu

Research Interests:

My primary research interest is to study viral replication and mechanisms of virus resistance in transgenic plants expressing genes involved in viral replication. Specifically, we are studying the role of protease and replicase genes in potyvirus replication and in host-pathogen interactions in my laboratory.

We are also studying a ribosome inhibitory protein from pokeweed which has broad spectrum antiviral activity against different plant and animal viruses. Our interest is to understand the mechanism of action of this protein, as well as regulation of its expression and its function in pokeweed.

Another area of interest is turfgrass transformation and molecular biology to introduce desirable traits, such as disease resistance, herbicide resistance and stress tolerance into turfgrass.