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UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center

UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center

Dr. Nian Wang

Mr. and Mrs. J. R. (Rip) Graves Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Biotechnology 

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
    • Nian Wang was appointed Mr. and Mrs. J. R. (Rip) Graves Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Biotechnology on August 16, 2023
    • Welcome our new Ph.D. student Zhuyuan Hu, in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science.
    • Congratulations to Tirtha Lamichhane for passing his Ph.D. defense and earning his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology on July 21, 2023.
    • Congratulations to Alex Fast for passing his MS defense and earning his MS degree in plant pathology on 7/11/2023
    • Congratulations to Shannon Barry for winning the James Davidson Graduate Travel Scholarship by UF
    • Nian Wang received the large grant leadership award of UF/IFAS on May 25, 2023
    • Congratulations to Erica Watson Carter for winning the American Phytopathological Society (APS) student travel award to attend Plant Health 2023
    • Congratulations to Zhiqian Pang for starting his new job at Silvec biologics.
    • Nian Wang was elected to be a Fellow of The American Phytopathological Society (APS), 2023
    • Congratulations to Sheo Shankar Pandey who will leave CREC and start his own lab at IASST (Institute of Advance Studies in Science and Technology), Guwahati, India in June 2023
    • Congratulations to Erica Watson Carter for winning the 2nd place student research award at UF/IFAS/CREC Research Symposium
    • 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
    • 8/2023-present:  Mr. and Mrs. J. R. (Rip) Graves Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Biotechnology, University of Florida/IFAS
    • 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
    • Appointed Mr. and Mrs. J. R. (Rip) Graves Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Biotechnology University of Florida/IFAS on August 16, 2023.
    • Elected Fellow American Phytopathological Society (APS) 2023
    • Large Grant Leadership Award, University of Florida, 2023
    • 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.