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Dr. David Haak
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Evolutionary ecological genomics forms the basis for David Haak’s research. Within this field, he is interested in identifying the genetic basis of plant adaptation to biotic stress (for example, pests) and abiotic stress (drought), with particular interest in understanding how plant defense traits are shaped by ecological and environmental conditions, pertinent in a changing climate.
To understand how biotic and abiotic conditions shape adaptive responses, he uses manipulative field and greenhouse studies, genetic and genomic approaches, and physiology and analytical chemistry techniques. Haak’s research is centered in wild crop relatives, providing key insights in ecological and evolutionary processes as well as resources for crop improvement.
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In the News:
Researchers combine technologies to resolve plant pathogen genomes
Virginia Tech researchers receive NSF grant to study the honey bee gut microbiome
Virginia Tech researchers tackle the biological invasions crisis
David Haak awarded grant from the Jeffress Memorial Trust
David Haak’s team uses CRISPR-Cas9 technology to improve crop efficiency
John Jelesko and David Haak are mapping the geolocation of Poison Ivy using the Appalachian Trail
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Recent Relevant Publications
Soorni, A.G, Fatahi, R., Haak, D.C., Salami, S.A. and Bombareley, A., 2017. Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Iranian Cannabis Germplasm. Scientific reports, 7 (1), p.15668.
Haak D.C., Fukao, T., Grene, R., Hua, Z., Ivanov, R., Perrella, G., LI, S 2017. Multilevel regulation of abiotic stress responses in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. 8 (24).
Pease, J. B., Haak, D. C.,Hahn, M. W., & Moyle, L. C. (2016). Phylogenomics reveals three sources of adaptive variation during a rapid radiation. PLoS Biol,14 (2), e1002379
Haak, D.C., Ballenger, B.A., Moyle, L.C. 2014. No evidence for phylogenetic constraint on natural defense evolution among wild tomatoes. Ecology.
Haak, D.C., Kostyun, J., Moyle, L.C., 2014. Ecological Genomics of adaptation and speciation across a group rich in abiotic, biotic, and reproductive diversity. In: Aubin-Horth, N. and Landry, C. editors. Ecological And Evolutionary Genomics, Springer.
HilleRisLambers, J., Ettinger, A., Ford, K., Haak, D.C., Horwith, M., Miner, B., Rogers, H., Sheldon, K., Tewksbury, J.J., Waters, S., Yang, S. 2013. Accidental experiments: ecological and evolutionary insights and opportunities derived from global change. Oikos
Haak, D.C., McGinnis, L.A., Levey, D.J., and Tewksbury, J.J. 2012. Why aren’t all chilies hot? A tradeoff limits pungency. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 279.1735 doi:10.1098/rspb.2011.2091.
Haak, D. C., J. HilleRisLambers, E. Pitre, and S. Freeman. 2011. Increased Structure and Active Learning Reduce the Achievement Gap in Introductory Biology. Science 332:1213.
Freeman, S., Haak, D.C., and Wenderoth, M.P. 2011. Increased Course Structure Improves Performance in Introductory Biology. CBE Life Sci Educ10:175‐186.
Deutsch,C., J. J. Tewksbury R. B. Huey, K. Sheldon, C. Ghalambor, D.C. Haak, P. R. Martin. 2008. Impacts of climate warming on terrestrial ectotherms across latitude. PNAS 105(18):6668‐72.
Tewksbury, J.J., Reagan, K.M, Caldaron, A.,Machnicki, N., Haak D.C., Levey, D.J. 2008. Evolutionary ecology of pungency in wild chilies. PNAS105(33):11808‐11.
Tewksbury, J.J., Levey, D.J., Huizinga, M., Haak D.C., and Travaset, A. 2008. Costs and benefits of capsaicin‐mediated control of gut retention in dispersers of wild chilies. Ecology 89(1):107‐17.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator style=”shadow”][/vc_column][/vc_row]