Kirk Czymmek, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Delaware Biotechnology Institute
Delaware Technology Park
15 Innovation Way
Newark, DE 19711

Phone: (302) 831-3450
FAX: (302) 831-4841
E-Mail: kirk@udel.edu
Web Site: http://www.udel.edu/bio/people/faculty/kczymmek.html

Education
Ph.D., Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University: 1993
B.S., Biology, State University of New York - Oswego: 1989

Research Interests:
Dr. Czymmek’s lab is interested in using contemporary molecular cytology, preparation, and imaging technologies to understand aspects of fungal cell biology, namely-plant pathogenic interactions and mechanisms of fungal hyphal tip growth. Model systems include the rice pathogen Magnaporthe grisea, which is the causal agent of rice blast disease and is of worldwide economic importance, and Phytophthora phaseoli, which is the causal agent of downy mildew in lima bean a very important processing crop in the Delmarva Peninsula.

Currently, Dr. Czymmek’s lab, in collaboration with DuPont Ag Biotech, is utilizing spectral variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged fungal hyphae and four-dimensional imaging techniques to visualize entire host-pathogen encounter sites in planta, over time. In addition, the lab is involved with in vivo time-course imaging of the effect of fungicides on specific fungal structures and organelles with specific fusion proteins.