Ph.D. Plant Pathology

Adviser: Richard Wilson

Nisha Rokaya is a third-year doctoral student in Plant Pathology under the supervision of Richard Wilson. Her research focuses on Magnaporthe oryzae, the fungus responsible for rice blast disease, and a major threat to global rice production. She is investigating how this fungus survives and grows inside plant tissues despite plant immune defenses and limited nutrient availability. Her work focuses on glutathione metabolism, an antioxidant system that helps the fungus cope with host-derived reactive oxygen species. Besides work, she loves photography and traveling.