iHEAD
Research Initiative

Our research addresses immunometabolism by studying plant immunity in the ecological context of interactions between fungal pathogens, plant hosts, and the plant-associated microbiota. Focusing on the vascular wilt fungus Verticillium dahliae, we adopt a holobiont perspective in which immune responses and metabolic processes are shaped not only by direct host–pathogen interactions but also by microbial community dynamics.

 

A key contribution of our group is the discovery that fungal pathogens deploy secreted effector proteins with antimicrobial activity that selectively target members of the plant microbiota. These effectors reshape microbial community composition, suppress beneficial microbes, and create a metabolic and immune environment favorable for pathogen colonization. By manipulating the microbiota, pathogens indirectly influence plant immune activation, resource allocation, and defense-associated metabolic pathways.

 

Through the integration of effector biology, microbiome profiling, and functional plant studies, our work highlights how immune responses are tightly coupled to metabolic state and microbial context. This framework aligns closely with the concept of immunometabolism, demonstrating that plant defense outcomes emerge from coordinated immune and metabolic processes operating across host and microbiota