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Raul Zavaliev

Affiliate
Biology

Research Interests


I am a Research Associate of Plant Immunity in the Biology Department at Duke University. My research is focused on the cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry of plant immune responses. I have a broad background in all aspects of plant biology with specific training and expertise in stress response mechanisms. I am particularly interested in cell survival mechanisms and cell-to-cell communication during disease. I study salicylic acid and NPR1-mediated immune mechanisms in plants. A central aim of studying plants, especially plant immunity, is the development of new sustainable strategies for engineering disease-resistant crops. Based on my research on the NPR1 function in plants, I aim at improving the plant survival under biotic and abiotic stresses through the introduction of newly engineered variants of this master immune regulator into agricultural crops.

Selected Grants


Intercellular signal transport in plant immune response

FellowshipPI-Fellow · Awarded by US-Israel Binational Agricultural R&D Fund · 2014 - 2016