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UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center

UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center

Dr. Nian Wang

Professor - Microbiology and Cell Science

Program Emphasis

Plant-bacteria interactions, genetic improvement of citrus via CRISPR/Cas genome editing, and citrus bacterial diseases (Huanglongbing and Canker). Current research topics include:

  1. Genetic determinants and the signaling pathway underlying a pathogen (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus)-triggered immune disease-citrus Huanglongbing
  2. Pathogen-triggered immune diseases
  3. CRISPR/Cas genome editing of citrus
  4. Transcriptional activator like effectors of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri and canker susceptibility gene
  5. Citrus Huanglongbing (greening) and canker management
  6. Citrus microbiome
  • News

    • Congratulations to Dr. Rikky Rai. Rikky will start her own lab as an Assistant Professor in Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, India in March 2023

    • Nian Wang was elected Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022

    • Erica Watson Carter won the 3rd place Student Presentation Award in the 2nd ISCHPP meeting held at Clearwater, FL on October 25- 28, 2022.

    • Zhiqian Pang won the 3rd place Early Career Scientist Presentation Award in the 2nd ISCHPP meeting held at Clearwater, FL on October 25- 28, 2022.

    • Nian Wang was recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher by Web of Science, 2022

    • Nian Wang and colleagues from UF, University of California (UC), Riverside, UC Davis, and Texas A&M University have been awarded an ECDRE grant, which is also recognized as a Center of Excellence by USDA/NIFA 2022

    • Yixiao Huang graduated with a Ph.D. degree in Plant Pathology and will work as a postdoc in a USDA ARS lab in Arkansas.

    • Nian Wang received the Invention of year award by University of Florida on 10/26/2022

    • The 2nd congress of ISCHPP meeting was held at Clearwater Florida on 10/25-28, 2022 with more than 110 participants.

    • Nian Wang gave a seminar “Pathogen-triggered immune disease of plants”, Yale University, 10/03/2022

    • Nian Wang hosted Dr. Hailing Jin, Professor & Cy Mouradick Endowed Chair at UC Riverside to give a seminar: Innovative eco-friendly disease control strategies using cross-kingdom RNAi, environmental RNAi and antimicrobial peptides, 9/19/2022

    • Congratulations to Jin Xu, Jinyun Li and Xiaoen Huang for winning Early Career Scientist Award in the 7th Xanthomonas Genomics Conference (June 14-17, 2022)

Dr. Nian Wang

Contact

Phone: (863) 956-8828
Email: nianwang@ufl.edu 

  • Program Members
  • Publications
  • Education

    8/2001-8/2005: Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Texas A&M University

    9/1998-7/2001: M.S. in Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

    9/1991-7/1995: B.S. in Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Shandong, China

  • Academic and Professional Experience

    8/2018-present: Professor, Citrus Research and Education Center/Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, USA

    7/2013-7/2018: Associate Professor, Citrus Research and Education Center/Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, USA

    1/2007-6/2013:  Assistant Professor, Citrus Research and Education Center/Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, USA

    9/2005-12/2006:  Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA

    7/1995-8/1998:  Research Assistant, Department of Plant Protection, Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shandong, China

  • Awards and Honors

    Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022
    Highly Cited Researcher by Web of Science, 2022
    Center of Excellence, USDA NIFA, August 2022.
    Invention of the Year, University of Florida, 2022.
    Ruth Allen Award, August 2020, American Phytopathological Society
    University of Florida Term Professorship Award September 2018
    University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship Award, May 2016
    William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award, August 2010, American Phytopathological Society.

  • Teaching

    Microbial Defense/Host-Microbe Interactions.  This is a course for graduate students.  Principles of bacterial virulence, host defense to microbial invasion and host-microbe interactions will be examined in a context of molecular and cellular biology involving both plants and animals.  Current scientific research that incorporates these principles will also be discussed. 

  • Service to Scientific Society

    Editor
    Editor-in-Chief Phytopathology 2021-2023
    Senior Editor Phytopathology 2018-2019
    Associate Editor PLOS Pathogens 2021-present
    Senior Editor Phytopathology Research 2018-2020
    Senior Editor Plant Disease 2014-2016
    Associate Editor Phytopathology 2014-2017
    Associate Editor Plant Disease 2013 to 2014
    Editor in Chief Virulence Mechanisms of Plant-Pathogenic Bacteria Publisher: APS PRESS

  • Opportunities in the Wang Lab

    Post-doctoral associate and Ph.D. student positions are available in the Wang lab to work on the interactions between Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, citrus and psyllid.