Research Bio

Rebecca (Becky) Bart investigates the intimate interactions between plants and microbes to improve agricultural sustainability and food security. Her lab integrates genetics, genomics, and field ecology to uncover the molecular 'rules of engagement' that govern plant immunity and pathogen virulence, including host–pathogen co-evolution and environmental influences on disease outcomes. By identifying resistance loci and regulatory networks, her team develops strategies to enhance durable disease resistance in crops and to harness beneficial microbes that promote plant health. She is known for translational research that links fundamental insights in plant–microbe biology to practical interventions for resilient agriculture under climate stress.

Bart is a Professor in UC Berkeley’s Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, a member of the Integrative Genomes Institute (IGI) and the Scientific Director for the Plant Gene Expression Center (PGEC), a longterm partnership between UC Berkeley and the USDA. 

Research Expertise and Interest

agricultural sustainability, plant–microbe interactions, plant immunity, crop disease resistance