Postdoctoral Position: Microbial communities associated with AM fungi in Ithaca, New York at Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research

Background: Research in our group asks (at the molecular level) how do plants, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and microbes associate to form a nutritionally-based symbiosis? AM fungi are mutualistic endosymbionts of plants; their hyphae inhabit the root cortex and the soil, and within these widely differing environments they interact either with the plant, or with complex microbial communities. Profiling studies revealed that microbial communities, tightly associated with the extraradical hyphal, are conserved across fungal species and soils (1,2). This project will investigate how AM fungi and microbial interactions shape community composition and will explore community functions that impact AM fungi during symbiosis.

To Apply: Applicants should submit a CV, names of three references and a statement of research interests and relevant experience to Maria J. Harrison, (mjh78@cornell.edu).

Project Location: The Boyce Thompson Institute is a non-profit research institute affiliated with Cornell University and located on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York, www.bti.cornell.edu. EOE M/F/D/V

Literature Cited.
(1) Emmett, B.D., Lévesque-Tremblay, V. & Harrison, M.J. Conserved and reproducible bacterial communities associate with extraradical hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. ISME J 15, 2276–2288 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-00920-2

(2) Kaminsky et al, in preparation (2026)

Requirements: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in microbiology or mycology; a strong publication record and demonstrated expertise with either protein biochemistry, microbial genetics or microbial metabolomics. Experience with microbial community analyses is advantageous.