Dr.
Jean Pan
University
of Akron
Assistant Professor /
Department of Biology /
Akron, Ohio 44325-3908
Phone: (330) 972-2518 / Office: ASEC 180
/ Email: jepan@uakron.edu
INTRODUCTION
My research interests are at the interface of ecology and evolutionary biology. The predominant theme within my research program is to understand the fundamental role of microbial symbiotic interactions on population processes and community assembly and structure. I study plant-microbe systems, with a particular focus on the ubiquitous but invisible fungal endophytes, which are fungi that live asymptomatically in plant tissues. Plant-microbe interactions have many important roles in terrestrial ecosystems, such as resource exchange, effects on plant traits, and modifying biotic interactions. Questions that I am interested in include:
1) How do microbial symbiotic interactions affect host growth traits?
2) What are the impacts of these microbially-mediated growth trait differences on host populations and community interactions?
3) How does host trait variation affect microbial populations and communities?
4) What factors affect and control microbial biodiversity?
I use an interdisciplinary approach in my research, drawing upon ecological, molecular, microbiological, physiological, and evolutionary methodologies. Results from my research will help us to understand the reciprocal influence that symbionts have on each other and the interplay between their populations and communities.
EDUCATION
2002. Ph.D. - Plant Sciences/Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior, Indiana University
Dissertation: The effects of infection by the systemic fungus, Epichloë glyceriae on clonal growth, physiology, and spatial spread of the clonal grass, Glyceria striata.
Advisor: Dr. Keith Clay
1996. M.S. - Biology, New Mexico State University
Thesis: The effects of grazing history, plant size, and plant density on growth and reproduction in black grama grass [Bouteoua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.]. Advisor: Dr. Michael L. Cain
1993. B. A. - Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2005-present: Assistant Professor, University of Akron
2005: Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Minnesota
2003-2004: NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota
1996-2002: Associate Instructor, Indiana University
1993-1996: Teaching Assistant, New Mexico State University
COURSES TAUGHT
General Ecology
Community Ecology/Invasion Biology
Diversity of Plants and Fungi
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
Munkacsi, A. B., Kawakami, S., Pan, J.J., Lee, K., Stoxen, S., Hang, J., and G. May. 2006. Genome-wide assessment of tandem repeat markers for biogeographic analyses of the corn smut fungus, Ustilago maydis. Molecular Ecology Notes 6:221-223.
Pan, J.J., and K. Clay. 2004. Epichloë glyceriae infection affects carbon translocation in the grass Glyceria striata. New Phytologist 164:467-475. (introduced in Commentary: Cheplick, G.P. 2004. Symbiotic fungi and clonal plant physiology. New Phytologist 164:413-415)
Munkacsi, A.B., Pan, J.J., Villesen, P., Mueller, U.G., Blackwell, M., and D.J. McLaughlin. 2004. Convergent coevolution in the domestication of coral mushrooms by fungus-growing ants. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B 271:1777-1782.
Pan, J.J., and K. Clay. 2003. Infection by the systemic fungus Epichloë glyceriae alters clonal growth of its grass host Glyceria striata. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B 270:1585-1591.
Pan, J.J., and K. Clay. 2002. Infection by the systemic fungus Epichloë glyceriae and clonal growth of its host grass Glyceria striata. Oikos 98:37-46.
Pan, J.J., and J.S. Price. 2001. Fitness and evolution in clonal plants: the impact of clonal growth. Evolutionary Ecology 15:583-600.
Bruns, T.D., Szaro, T.M., Gardes, M., Cullings, K.W., Pan, J.J., Taylor, D.L., Horton, T.R., Kretzer, A., Garbelotto, M., and Y. Li. 1998. A sequence database for the identification of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes by phylogenetic analysis. Molecular Ecology 7:257-272.
Ungerer, M.C., Baird, J.E., Pan, J.J., and L.H. Rieseberg. 1998. Rapid hybrid speciation in wild sunflowers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 95:11757-11762.
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