Adam Steinbrenner

It's grad school application season! My lab (cxli233.github.io/cxLi_lab/ ) will be recruiting a PhD student via the MPS program at MSU (mps.natsci.msu.edu) for Fall 2026.

Happy to take inquires via email (which can be found in the lab website) if you are applying this cycle.

📢Announcement!
The call for 𝐓𝐏𝐉 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 is now open! 🌟
It is designed to offer support and mentorship to researchers transitioning from post-doctoral scientists to principal investigators

Info: 👉http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1365313x/homepage/TPJ-fellowships
& in 🧵

🧪 Were you one of the many thousands of STEM students (and mentors) impacted by the sudden change in #NSF #GRFP eligibility last week?

We created a petition to NSF leadership and Congress to reverse the changes - please sign and share your stories here!!

laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/

Happy to support this letter. My grad's situation here: bsky.app/profile/did:...

The GRFP announcement from NSF cuts out an entire cohort of 2nd year students from consideration, without warning. This is so deeply unfair that it warrants a formal protest from the scientific community. If someone wants to work with me to craft an open letter and solicit signatures, LMK.

Very frustrated with NSF GRFP. A 2nd year grad now ineligible after postponing last year.

Her pre-grad app was rejected without review for mentioning crop impacts.

I'm a previous recipient and served many years as a reviewer. The fellowship needs serious reform, not half-baked solicitation changes

I hate this for the second years who had already been working on applications.

Also the USDA fellowship RFA has still not been issued for this year.

It is harder and harder to find fellowships to support the newest generation of scientists. 🧪

We are shortchanging our future.

Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!

My department at UC Davis is hiring a mycologist, broadly interpreted. Please repost, share, and consider applying. recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07339

This looks like a great opportunity: #Tenure-track assistant #professor position at University of Lausanne on #MPMI
career5.successfactors.eu/career?caree...

Happy to share this review on the diversity of resistance in Triticeae. I learned a lot writing it. Heavy lifting by Yinghui Li, Liubov Govta, and @yichangsung.bsky.social with our long-time collaborator Tzion Fahima.
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

Flyer with a green leafy background announcing the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Workshop for Plant Researchers. Large bold text at the top reads: “We need your help!” The flyer asks graduate students who have received a GRFP award, as well as postdocs, research scientists, and faculty PIs, to sign up as mentors for the Botanical Society of America’s GRFP Workshop. Section titled What does mentoring require? lists two points: Read statements from 4–6 students applying for the GRFP. Provide feedback and facilitate two 1.5-hour meetings for your group. On the right, a QR code and link direct potential mentors to register. Logos at the bottom include NSF GRFP and the Botanical Society of America.

Mentors needed for BSA’s GRFP Workshop! 🌱

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Workshop for Plant Researchers is returning in 2025. With NSF’s 2026 GRFP deadline set for Oct 27, we’re looking for mentors to guide student applicants.

Learn how you can help!
mailchi.mp/botany.org/b...

Assistant Professor Plant-Microbe Interactions We seek a creative, collaborative, and visionary plant biologist to establish an internationally recognized research program at the forefront of plant-microbe interactions aimed at understanding how t...

The Department of Biology at Colorado State University is hiring an Assistant Professor in the area of plant-microbe interactions! Please spread the word!

jobs.colostate.edu/postings/165...

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

While full solicitation isn’t up, looks like we have 2025 proposal deadlines for the GRFP: www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

We hope the work is interesting to those trying to translate PAMP responses to pest and pathogen resistance!

This study inspired lots more❓for us

What is a sufficient level of PRR expression? Analyses of NLR expression from Krasileva lab (ref 52) were interesting here

How does early "PTI response" translate to resistance? Great review from Balint-Kurti lab (ref 43) helped us interpret our findings

What about the caterpillars? We generated low expression (inr-2 allele) near-isogenic lines, but interestingly, In11 pretreatment still protected these plants from attack.

We conclude that insensitivity with common lab assays for PTI does not necessary correspond with resistance.

Promoter alleles from different In11-reponsive or non-responsive varieties corresponded with strength driving luciferase expression in transient expression assays. Thus, low INR expression seems to mediate insensitivity to In11 in lab conditions.

We found just a few insensitive accessions among hundreds of tested USDA-GRIN varieties. One variety was associated with lower expression of the INR gene. The low expression INR haplotype turned out to be locally prevalent in varieties from Jujuy province in Argentina.

Evolutionary gain and loss of a plant pattern-recognition receptor for HAMP recognition A plant immune receptor evolved recognition of caterpillar peptides through key molecular changes.

Legumes in the subtribe Phaseolinae evolved the INR immune receptor to detect attack by caterpillars through In11 peptide in their spit.

INR is strikingly conserved in legumes. 364 tested varieties of cowpea from our original 2020 GWAS are sensitive to In11!

elifesciences.org/articles/81050

More fruits of studying natural variation in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris): an interesting genetic basis for insensitivity to caterpillars' In11 elicitor 🐛

Our new bioRxiv preprint from star technicians Brian Behnken and Wesley George below 🧵

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Fantastic! Congrats Bruno!

Systematic discovery and engineering of synthetic immune receptors in plants Plants deploy a diverse array of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which perceive microbe-associated molecular patterns to activate immune responses. Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase subgr...

Very happy to share our latest work “Systematic discovery and engineering of synthetic immune receptors in plants” out in @science.org !

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Spread the word 😃
Our department has an open position at the Assitant Professor level 🌱

Warm temperature suppresses plant systemic acquired resistance by intercepting N‐hydroxypipecolic acid biosynthesis Elevated temperature impacts plant immunity at the primary infection site, but how it affects immune preparedness for future infections remains unclear. Here we report that warm temperature suppresse...

Today we report how plant immune preparedness against future infections is negatively intercepted by elevated temperatures! @theplantjournal.bsky.social #OpenAccess

This work was initiated by my first MSc student Alyssa Shields. @laurierbiology.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

How do predatory wasps find their caterpillar prey?

In our new preprint on Biorxiv we show that the host plant's immune system detects herbivory to sound the alarm. 🌱🐛

See thread from @nataliagupa.bsky.social -- a surprising role for a plant PRR in indirect defense against herbivores.

I am thrilled to share the 2nd chapter of my PhD with @adsteinbrenner.bsky.social In collaboration with @tiszapatrick we demonstrated that the LRR-RLP INR is the missing molecular link between caterpillar recognition and predatory wasp recruitment in the field. A thread 1/6

A plant immune receptor mediates tritrophic interactions by linking caterpillar detection to predator recruitment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.29.667524v1

Unlocking expanded flagellin perception through rational receptor engineering - Nature Plants Receptor kinase FLS2 detects the flg22 epitope of bacterial flagellin. Here the authors identify key residues on FLS2’s concave surface that enable expanded perception of flg22 variants, allowing the ...

Excited this paper is finally published! We focused on the inner concave surface of LRR RKs to expand bacterial flagellin perception in plants. Selection indicates expanded perception is more common than previously thought. Experiments led by @jerrytli.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The glutamate receptor‐like GLR2.7 modulates insect egg‐induced defense responses in Arabidopsis Upon perception of insect eggs, Arabidopsis thaliana activates a generic immune response that culminates in cell death (hypersensitive-like response (HR-like)). While this response can subsequently .....

How do plants detect insect eggs ? 🌱🦋
Our new paper on GLR2.7 and its role in plant defense responses to insect eggs is now out in @newphyt.bsky.social
Big thanks to the Reymond Lab @unil.bsky.social and our collaborators !

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Joanne Chory (1955–2024): Plant geneticist extraordinaire | PNAS Joanne Chory (1955–2024) was a pioneering biologist whose research transformed our understanding of plant growth and development. Her groundbreakin...

Jennifer Nemhauser’s and my tribute to our amazing friend and mentor, the extraordinary Joanne Chory.

Read about our personal and professional reminiscences. Thanks to all who provided background for this.

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...