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Research in the Glass Lab

Cell specialization, cell communication and nonself recognition are crucial mechanisms in microbial organisms such as filamentous fungi. In filamentous fungi, growth occurs by hyphal tip extension, branching and repeated fusion of hyphae, ultimately forming an exquisitely connected network, from which the individual colony grows and reproduces. My research interests are focused on understanding communication and signaling mechanisms that mediate the hyphal fusion process and nonself recognition mechanisms that occur before and after hyphal fusion. The experimental tractability and availability of a large number of mutants in the filamentous fungus, Neurospora crassa, makes it a superb system to delineate both fungal-specific and general mechanisms of cell communication and nonself recognition. We use a combination of molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, genomics and bioinformatics to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of nonself recognition during both sexual and asexual reproductive phases of filamentous fungi.

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Neurospora pictures

Fig. 1 Neurospora in its natural habitat on burnt vegetation (Jacobson et al., 2004 Mycologia)	Fig. 2 Scanning electron micrograph of Neurospora asexual reproductive structures, the conidia (From Matt Springer and the FGSC http://www.fgsc.net/ )	Fig. 3 Scanning electron micrograph of Neurospora perithecia (sexual reproductive structure) (Matt Springer)	Fig. 4 Scanning electron micrograph of Neurospora perithecia with asci and ascospores	Fig. 5 Micrograph of Neurospora ascospores (meiotic progeny) showing characteristic ribbed structure