Asst. Prof. Tang, Bozeng
Assistant Professor
Email: [email protected]
Personal Lab Webpage: https://tangbozeng.github.io/
Around 70% of plant diseases are caused by fungal pathogens. Our lab investigates the molecular dynamics underlying plant–fungus interactions. We reveal how fungal pathogens deploy specific molecules to suppress plant immune responses. Simultaneously, we identify plant resistance genes, study their roles in countering fungal invasion, and explore the regulatory networks that govern the activation of these molecules during this spatiotemporally dynamic process.
Our research integrates genetics, cell biology, multi‑omics, population genomics, and evolutionary biology. A current focus is to elucidate how cellular heterogeneity within eukaryotic organisms—both plants and fungi—influences plant–fungus interactions, including whether different cell types or subpopulations perform specialized functions during infection.
Additionally, we aim to understand how climate change influences disease outbreaks and to predict future scenarios through evolutionary and genetic modeling. Our ultimate goal is to identify and/or develop crop cultivars with robust resilience to various stresses—without compromising growth or fitness—and to provide proactive strategies to address future challenges in agriculture.
Research Areas
PhD Student
Research Associate
- Tang, B., Feng, L., Hulin, M.T., Ding, P., and Ma, W. “Cell-type-specific responses to fungal infection in plants revealed by single-cell transcriptomics.” Cell Host & Microbe 31, no. 10 (2023): 1732–1747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2023.08.019
- Tang, B., Yan, X., Ryder, L.S., Bautista, M.J., Cruz-Mireles, N., Soanes, D.M., Molinari, C., Foster, A.J., and Talbot, N.J. “Rgs1 is a regulator of effector gene expression during plant infection by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120, no. 12 (2023): e2301358120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2301358120
- Tang, B., Liu, C., Li, Z., Zhang, X., Zhou, S., Wang, G.L., Chen, X.L., and Liu, W. “Multilayer regulatory landscape during pattern‐triggered immunity in rice.” Plant Biotechnology Journal 19, no. 12 (2021): 2629–2645. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.13688
- Ren, Z., Tang, B., Xing, J., Liu, C., Cai, X., Hendy, A., Kamran, M., Liu, H., Zheng, L., Huang, J., and Chen, X.L. “MTA1‐mediated RNA m6A modification regulates autophagy and is required for infection of the rice blast fungus.” New Phytologist 235, no. 1 (2022): 247–262. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18117
- Yan, X., Tang, B., Ryder, L.S., MacLean, D., Were, V.M., Eseola, A.B., Cruz-Mireles, N., Ma, W., Foster, A.J., Osés-Ruiz, M., and Talbot, N.J. “The transcriptional landscape of plant infection by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae reveals distinct families of temporally co-regulated and structurally conserved effectors.” The Plant Cell 35, no. 5 (2023): 1360–1385. https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koad036