Portrait of Ksenia Krasileva on campus, 2023

Research Bio

The innate immune system is ancient and shared across kingdoms. Many organisms successfully utilize innate immune systems in the absence of an adaptive immunity to defend themselves against rapidly evolving pathogens: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and insects. Ksenia Krasileva is interested to work with several host-pathogen systems (mostly plants, bacteria and fungi) to understand biodiversity of host defenses, biodiversity of pathogens as well as develop strategies for engineering innate immunity.

Ongoing major research areas:

  1. Biodiversity of innate immune systems in plants and fungi.
  2. Mutagenesis and synthetic biology to improve disease resistance. 
  3. "Evolution in overdrive" - rapidly evolving parts of genomes.

Research Expertise and Interest

genome evolution, innate immunity, plant health, fungi

Teaching

Courses taught during the three most recent terms
2026 Spring

  • Microbial Genomics and Genetics  [MCELLBI C148]  

  • Special Topics in Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI 190]  

  • Seminar  [PLANTBI 290]  

  • Research Review in Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI 292]  

  • Graduate Research  [PLANTBI 299]  

  • Individual Study for Graduate Students  [PLANTBI 602]  

  • Microbial Genomics and Genetics  [PLANTBI C148]  

  • Honors Research - Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI H196]  

2025 Fall

  • Special Topics in Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI 190]  

  • Supervised Independent Study and Research  [PLANTBI 199]  

  • Genomics and Computational Biology  [PLANTBI 200B]  

  • Genomics and Computational Biology  [PLANTBI 200B]  

  • Genomics and Computational Biology  [PLANTBI 220B]  

  • Genomics and Computational Biology  [PLANTBI 220B]  

  • Research Review in Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI 292]  

  • Graduate Research  [PLANTBI 299]  

  • Graduate Research  [PLANTBI 299]  

  • Honors Research - Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI H196]  

  • Supervised Research: Biological Sciences  [UGIS 192C]  

2025 Summer

  • Honors Research - Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI H196]  

2025 Spring

  • Plant Cell Biology  [PLANTBI 150]  

  • Seminar  [PLANTBI 290]  

  • Research Review in Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI 292]  

  • Graduate Research  [PLANTBI 299]  

  • Individual Study for Graduate Students  [PLANTBI 602]  

  • Honors Research - Plant and Microbial Biology  [PLANTBI H196]  

  • Supervised Research: Biological Sciences  [UGIS 192C]