Natalie Peltz

PhD Candidate

Serendipita indica is a beneficial root endophyte known to promote plant growth and resilience against biotic and abiotic stress. Natalie's research focuses on understanding how natural genetic variation in Arabidopsis shapes the interaction with both mutualistic and pathogenic fungi. Using transcriptomic and genomic approaches, her work aims to uncover how host immune components and fungal colonization dynamics influence the outcome of multi-partner interactions in the root environment. By characterizing the molecular dialogue between plants and multiple fungi, her project seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of how endophytes support plant immunity and fitness in complex microbial ecosystems.