Dr. Emran Ali is a faculty member in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia. He is providing leadership for the Plant Molecular Diagnostic Lab at the Tifton Campus. He began his current position on July 1, 2018, and has a split appointment of 75% Research and 25% Extension. Ali completed his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular Plant Pathology from Ehime University, Japan. Following a brief postdoctoral stint at the same institution, he completed additional postdoctoral trainings at Ohio State University and at Washington State University. His doctoral work focused on the molecular bases of plant-microbe interactions. As a postdoc at WSU, he worked on advanced disease diagnosis and the molecular mechanisms involved in fungicide resistance development in tree fruit pathogens. Ali’s research program performs state of the art research with cost-efficient modern disease diagnostic methods across a range of crops. He develops advanced fungicide resistance testing methods and in vitro sensitivity analysis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance. He also implements statewide major plant disease surveys to detect and quantify disease risks while also providing molecular characterization of newly reported plant pathogens. He strives to conduct research and develop new disease testing methods that will have a positive impact on national and international agricultural producers. Ali engages in a range of Extension activities including advanced disease diagnosis/ fungicide resistant testing services, Extension agent trainings, presentations, blog, local newspaper, Extension publications etc. He provides support to Extension & research personnel, commercial growers & homeowners, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture for a wide range of plant species (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, turfgrass, cereals and legumes) affected by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or nematodes. To date, Ali has published more than 50 manuscripts from previous and current positions at internationally reputed peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, he is an active member in professional societies, including the American Phytopathological Society (APS), American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES), American Society Horticultural Science (ASHS), American Society for Virology (ASV), National Clean Plant Network (NCPN), and Georgia Association of Plant Pathologists (GAPP).
