Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
@bleuschenkohl.bsky.social
Postdoc @ Univ. of KS | NSF PRFB | KU Center for Genomics Fellow
Plant-Microbe Interactions 🌽🥼🧪🦠
PhD, Purdue | BS, Univ. of NE - Lincoln
Chahta #NativeinSTEM | Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership
Plant-Microbe Interactions 🌽🥼🧪🦠
PhD, Purdue | BS, Univ. of NE - Lincoln
Chahta #NativeinSTEM | Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
Join us Dec 8 for "Catching the Scent." Discover how Ralstonia bacteria transition from soil to plant xylem and the surprising role of a newly identified sensor-regulator protein.
FREE for members. Only $49 for nonmembers.
https://bit.ly/3WqLF2p
#plantpathology #plantscience
FREE for members. Only $49 for nonmembers.
https://bit.ly/3WqLF2p
#plantpathology #plantscience
November 3, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Join us Dec 8 for "Catching the Scent." Discover how Ralstonia bacteria transition from soil to plant xylem and the surprising role of a newly identified sensor-regulator protein.
FREE for members. Only $49 for nonmembers.
https://bit.ly/3WqLF2p
#plantpathology #plantscience
FREE for members. Only $49 for nonmembers.
https://bit.ly/3WqLF2p
#plantpathology #plantscience
Today, I officially started my new position at @ The University of Kansas as a KU Center for Genomics Fellow and NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology. I'm excited to be joining the lab of Dr. Maggie Wagner 🌱 🌽 #PlantSci #PlantScience
November 4, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Today, I officially started my new position at @ The University of Kansas as a KU Center for Genomics Fellow and NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology. I'm excited to be joining the lab of Dr. Maggie Wagner 🌱 🌽 #PlantSci #PlantScience
I did it! Officially a #PhD!
Yesterday, I successfully defended my dissertation "Dissecting Plant-Microbe Interactions: PAMP Recognition and Immune Evasion in Solanaceous Hosts"
Special thanks to my advisor Dr. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, my committee, mentors/mentees, friends, & family who were there.
Yesterday, I successfully defended my dissertation "Dissecting Plant-Microbe Interactions: PAMP Recognition and Immune Evasion in Solanaceous Hosts"
Special thanks to my advisor Dr. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, my committee, mentors/mentees, friends, & family who were there.
October 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I did it! Officially a #PhD!
Yesterday, I successfully defended my dissertation "Dissecting Plant-Microbe Interactions: PAMP Recognition and Immune Evasion in Solanaceous Hosts"
Special thanks to my advisor Dr. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, my committee, mentors/mentees, friends, & family who were there.
Yesterday, I successfully defended my dissertation "Dissecting Plant-Microbe Interactions: PAMP Recognition and Immune Evasion in Solanaceous Hosts"
Special thanks to my advisor Dr. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, my committee, mentors/mentees, friends, & family who were there.
This is a really unfortunate time to have the keys falling off of my keyboard 😂 I guess that's how you know it's time to graduate.
September 29, 2025 at 4:02 PM
This is a really unfortunate time to have the keys falling off of my keyboard 😂 I guess that's how you know it's time to graduate.
The NSF-GRFP Solicitation (finally) went live today!
Unfortunately, second-year PhD students are unable to apply. This decision will have direct impacts on graduate students who choose rotational PhD programs. 🧪🌱
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Unfortunately, second-year PhD students are unable to apply. This decision will have direct impacts on graduate students who choose rotational PhD programs. 🧪🌱
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 27, 2025 at 12:06 AM
The NSF-GRFP Solicitation (finally) went live today!
Unfortunately, second-year PhD students are unable to apply. This decision will have direct impacts on graduate students who choose rotational PhD programs. 🧪🌱
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Unfortunately, second-year PhD students are unable to apply. This decision will have direct impacts on graduate students who choose rotational PhD programs. 🧪🌱
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
Gram-positive bacterial MAMP sensed by a plant cysteine rich receptor kinase. I've been waiting for this preprint to drop. Nice story!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases mediate Wall Teichoic Acid perception in Arabidopsis
Plants and animals detect microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to initiate defense responses. Both lineages employ pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), yet plant mechanisms for sensing Gram-...
www.biorxiv.org
September 22, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Gram-positive bacterial MAMP sensed by a plant cysteine rich receptor kinase. I've been waiting for this preprint to drop. Nice story!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Friends and Family - If you're interested in attending my dissertation seminar via Zoom (Oct 8th), please comment below and I will send you the information!
September 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Friends and Family - If you're interested in attending my dissertation seminar via Zoom (Oct 8th), please comment below and I will send you the information!
Not a lot of time to bead lately, but look at these customs I made for a Purdue fan!
shawishmarket.com/Collegiate-E...
#beadwork #choctaw ##brickstitich #IndigenousArt
shawishmarket.com/Collegiate-E...
#beadwork #choctaw ##brickstitich #IndigenousArt
September 10, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Not a lot of time to bead lately, but look at these customs I made for a Purdue fan!
shawishmarket.com/Collegiate-E...
#beadwork #choctaw ##brickstitich #IndigenousArt
shawishmarket.com/Collegiate-E...
#beadwork #choctaw ##brickstitich #IndigenousArt
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
Applications for the 2026 Pivot to Plants Fellows Program at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center are now open.
Location: St. Louis, MO
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Dates: Jan. 5, 2026 – Dec. 23, 2026
Estimated Stipend: $37,275
Learn more: www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/edu...
Location: St. Louis, MO
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Dates: Jan. 5, 2026 – Dec. 23, 2026
Estimated Stipend: $37,275
Learn more: www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/edu...
Pivot to Plants: Training Program for Plant and Data Science | Danforth Plant Science Center
The Pivot2Plants Fellows Program is a 1-year training program for people interested in pivoting to a career in plant science or data science but have limited research experience.
www.danforthcenter.org
September 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Applications for the 2026 Pivot to Plants Fellows Program at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center are now open.
Location: St. Louis, MO
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Dates: Jan. 5, 2026 – Dec. 23, 2026
Estimated Stipend: $37,275
Learn more: www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/edu...
Location: St. Louis, MO
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Dates: Jan. 5, 2026 – Dec. 23, 2026
Estimated Stipend: $37,275
Learn more: www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/edu...
🚨 New publication alert 🚨
Tomato Roots Exhibit Development-Specific Responses to Bacterial-Derived Peptides
🔗: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Authors: R Leuschen-Kohl, R Roberts, @danimstevens.bsky.social, N Zhang, S Buchanan, B Pilkey, @gittacoaker.bsky.social , and A Iyer-Pascuzzi.
Tomato Roots Exhibit Development-Specific Responses to Bacterial-Derived Peptides
🔗: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Authors: R Leuschen-Kohl, R Roberts, @danimstevens.bsky.social, N Zhang, S Buchanan, B Pilkey, @gittacoaker.bsky.social , and A Iyer-Pascuzzi.
Tomato Roots Exhibit Development‐Specific Responses to Bacterial‐Derived Peptides
Pattern-triggered immune responses in roots are concentrated in the early differentiating regions in wild and domesticated tomatoes (Solanum pimpinellifolium and S. lycopersicum).
Signalling compon...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 5, 2025 at 4:16 PM
🚨 New publication alert 🚨
Tomato Roots Exhibit Development-Specific Responses to Bacterial-Derived Peptides
🔗: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Authors: R Leuschen-Kohl, R Roberts, @danimstevens.bsky.social, N Zhang, S Buchanan, B Pilkey, @gittacoaker.bsky.social , and A Iyer-Pascuzzi.
Tomato Roots Exhibit Development-Specific Responses to Bacterial-Derived Peptides
🔗: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Authors: R Leuschen-Kohl, R Roberts, @danimstevens.bsky.social, N Zhang, S Buchanan, B Pilkey, @gittacoaker.bsky.social , and A Iyer-Pascuzzi.
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
It's that time of year again!
If you or someone you know is thinking about applying to MS/PhD programs, I recommend checking out this website, structured from our fall-semester-only class AGR 490: Gateways to Graduate School!
#GradSchool #PhD #GradSchoolAdmissions #GatewaystoGradSchool
If you or someone you know is thinking about applying to MS/PhD programs, I recommend checking out this website, structured from our fall-semester-only class AGR 490: Gateways to Graduate School!
#GradSchool #PhD #GradSchoolAdmissions #GatewaystoGradSchool
Gateways to Graduate School
Gateways to Graduate School
sites.google.com
July 8, 2025 at 4:33 PM
It's that time of year again!
If you or someone you know is thinking about applying to MS/PhD programs, I recommend checking out this website, structured from our fall-semester-only class AGR 490: Gateways to Graduate School!
#GradSchool #PhD #GradSchoolAdmissions #GatewaystoGradSchool
If you or someone you know is thinking about applying to MS/PhD programs, I recommend checking out this website, structured from our fall-semester-only class AGR 490: Gateways to Graduate School!
#GradSchool #PhD #GradSchoolAdmissions #GatewaystoGradSchool
Excited (and a little bit nervous!) to be speaking tomorrow for the #ASPB #PlantBiologyGlobal Fostering Inclusion in Plant Biology session! I'll be speaking on my experience as an Indigenous student at Purdue and the support systems (@Purdue, in the community, among peers) I've had during my PhD.
August 12, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Excited (and a little bit nervous!) to be speaking tomorrow for the #ASPB #PlantBiologyGlobal Fostering Inclusion in Plant Biology session! I'll be speaking on my experience as an Indigenous student at Purdue and the support systems (@Purdue, in the community, among peers) I've had during my PhD.
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
My team has updated our free database of POSTDOC fellowships.
This database contains 286 entries. For each entry, we provide a link, short description, deadline, amount, and eligibility criteria.
Download this updated and expanded database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
This database contains 286 entries. For each entry, we provide a link, short description, deadline, amount, and eligibility criteria.
Download this updated and expanded database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
August 10, 2025 at 7:50 PM
My team has updated our free database of POSTDOC fellowships.
This database contains 286 entries. For each entry, we provide a link, short description, deadline, amount, and eligibility criteria.
Download this updated and expanded database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
This database contains 286 entries. For each entry, we provide a link, short description, deadline, amount, and eligibility criteria.
Download this updated and expanded database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
Excited to share the latest microPublication from my mentee Morgan Murff (incoming PhD@UGA!) looking at root responses to bacterial MAMPs in pepper roots. Contrary to previous findings, Morgan showed that roots of some pepper varieties do respond to csp22(Rsol). 🌱
#plantpath #plantdisease #plantbio
#plantpath #plantdisease #plantbio
Below-ground tissues of Capsicum annuum respond to conserved bacterial peptides with pattern-triggered immunity | microPublication
www.micropublication.org
August 8, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Excited to share the latest microPublication from my mentee Morgan Murff (incoming PhD@UGA!) looking at root responses to bacterial MAMPs in pepper roots. Contrary to previous findings, Morgan showed that roots of some pepper varieties do respond to csp22(Rsol). 🌱
#plantpath #plantdisease #plantbio
#plantpath #plantdisease #plantbio
And just like that, my time at #2025ISMPMI is over. I had such a great time catching up with fellow friends and researchers from across the globe! Here's to the next two years of scientific discovery before we meet again. Tschüss und bis bald!
July 17, 2025 at 2:21 PM
And just like that, my time at #2025ISMPMI is over. I had such a great time catching up with fellow friends and researchers from across the globe! Here's to the next two years of scientific discovery before we meet again. Tschüss und bis bald!
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
You designed binders for your favourite protein and wish there was a way to experimentally screen them within 24h w/ only a set of pipettes and a plate reader?
Check out our Cell-Free 2-Hybrid approach (CF2H)
Full post: tinyurl.com/48cz5nb6
Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Check out our Cell-Free 2-Hybrid approach (CF2H)
Full post: tinyurl.com/48cz5nb6
Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
July 17, 2025 at 11:42 AM
You designed binders for your favourite protein and wish there was a way to experimentally screen them within 24h w/ only a set of pipettes and a plate reader?
Check out our Cell-Free 2-Hybrid approach (CF2H)
Full post: tinyurl.com/48cz5nb6
Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Check out our Cell-Free 2-Hybrid approach (CF2H)
Full post: tinyurl.com/48cz5nb6
Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
Songyuan Zhang - what can we learn from natural variation that can inform receptor engineering?
Combined observed sequence variation with AlphaFold3 prediction to model and engineer the pattern recognition receptor FLS2, and then the pathogen peptide agonist flg22.
#2025ISMPMI
Combined observed sequence variation with AlphaFold3 prediction to model and engineer the pattern recognition receptor FLS2, and then the pathogen peptide agonist flg22.
#2025ISMPMI
July 17, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Songyuan Zhang - what can we learn from natural variation that can inform receptor engineering?
Combined observed sequence variation with AlphaFold3 prediction to model and engineer the pattern recognition receptor FLS2, and then the pathogen peptide agonist flg22.
#2025ISMPMI
Combined observed sequence variation with AlphaFold3 prediction to model and engineer the pattern recognition receptor FLS2, and then the pathogen peptide agonist flg22.
#2025ISMPMI
Fantastic work from @danimstevens.bsky.social!
#2025ISMPMI 📣 In silico screening of PRR-epitope interactions is now possible!
Here, we developed mamp-ml to predict their immunogenic outcomes without structural context. Let's accelerate engineering plant receptors for robust resistance! 🚀🌱 Small 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here, we developed mamp-ml to predict their immunogenic outcomes without structural context. Let's accelerate engineering plant receptors for robust resistance! 🚀🌱 Small 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
mamp-ml: A deep learning approach to epitope immunogenicity in plants
Eukaryotes detect biomolecules through surface-localized receptors, key signaling components. A subset of receptors survey for pathogens, induce immunity, and restrict pathogen growth. Comparative gen...
www.biorxiv.org
July 16, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Fantastic work from @danimstevens.bsky.social!
Anna Lapwood (organist, Royal Albert Hall) was playing a free concert in Cologne tonight. Over 10,000 people showed up.
2 hours and 2 performances later, we didn't make it inside. We were this close 😭
#2025ISMPMI
2 hours and 2 performances later, we didn't make it inside. We were this close 😭
#2025ISMPMI
July 15, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Anna Lapwood (organist, Royal Albert Hall) was playing a free concert in Cologne tonight. Over 10,000 people showed up.
2 hours and 2 performances later, we didn't make it inside. We were this close 😭
#2025ISMPMI
2 hours and 2 performances later, we didn't make it inside. We were this close 😭
#2025ISMPMI
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
Wolf Frommer presents work from @healthycrops.bsky.social, a global collaboration to work on bacterial blight of rice.
They are transferring transgene-free, genome edited rice to different countries, with legal frameworks in place, to test resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.
#2025ISMPMI
They are transferring transgene-free, genome edited rice to different countries, with legal frameworks in place, to test resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.
#2025ISMPMI
July 15, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Wolf Frommer presents work from @healthycrops.bsky.social, a global collaboration to work on bacterial blight of rice.
They are transferring transgene-free, genome edited rice to different countries, with legal frameworks in place, to test resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.
#2025ISMPMI
They are transferring transgene-free, genome edited rice to different countries, with legal frameworks in place, to test resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.
#2025ISMPMI
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
We’re waiting with baited breath to see what @natplants.nature.com has to say about the alarm during @tolgaboz.bsky.social ‘s great plenary #2025ISMPMI @bleuschenkohl.bsky.social
July 15, 2025 at 6:53 AM
We’re waiting with baited breath to see what @natplants.nature.com has to say about the alarm during @tolgaboz.bsky.social ‘s great plenary #2025ISMPMI @bleuschenkohl.bsky.social
Reposted by Rebecca (BeKa) Leuschen-Kohl
NSF funded job opportunity, for someone with a BS Bio and a specialization in plants! Application deadline July 31, job located in PA www.haverford.edu/human-resour...
Research Technician
Haverford College invites applications for a full-time (37.5 hours per week), exempt , fixed-term, benefits-eligible Research Technician opportunity. This is a one-year appointment, with the possibili...
www.haverford.edu
July 14, 2025 at 1:44 PM
NSF funded job opportunity, for someone with a BS Bio and a specialization in plants! Application deadline July 31, job located in PA www.haverford.edu/human-resour...
Great presentation from @gittacoaker.bsky.social on kinase mediated defense responses and harnessing the power of language models for receptor/ ligand prediction. These LMs will help us in engineering more resilient crops #2025ISMPMI
July 14, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Great presentation from @gittacoaker.bsky.social on kinase mediated defense responses and harnessing the power of language models for receptor/ ligand prediction. These LMs will help us in engineering more resilient crops #2025ISMPMI