Dr. Moe Bakhtiari
Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Integrative Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Office: 4095 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, California 94720
email: Moe.bakhtiari@berkeley.edu
Appointments & Education
SNSF Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley (2020-)
Ph.D. Organismal Biology|Chemical Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland (2019)
MSc. Systematics & Evolution, Institute of Systematics & Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland (2015)
BSc. Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada (2012)
Research Interests
I am a chemical ecologist broadly interested in the evolutionary biology of plant-insect interactions in natural and applied contexts. My research focuses on unraveling the chemical mechanisms governing interactions between plants and their biotic and abiotic environment. I am interested in employing a mechanistic approach in studying the role of secondary compounds as ecological signals in order to identify crucial pathways involved in plant defense against insect pests. Such approach allows for the identification of links between gene regulations, biochemical pathways and expression of secondary metabolites to delineate biochemical signals and regulatory processes involved in plant resistance against pests. Application of multi-omics represents a frontier in plant sciences and ecology, enhancing our understanding of the complexity of nature but more so the knowledge gain through its application in ecological and evolutionary research can be integrated in environmentally sound- agricultural pest managements –and plant breeding practices.
My postdoctoral research at Whiteman lab focuses on evolutionary genomics of how plants’ reproductive and defense traits evolve in response to natural selection imposed by both mutualists (pollinators) and antagonists (herbivores). I investigate the genomic basis of how plants evolved to engineer chemical solutions to navigate such relationships and solve ecological problems.
Publications
Bakhtiari M, Glauser G, Defossez E, Rasmann S. Ecological convergence of secondary phytochemicals along elevation gradients. Authorea. (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.158169797.74987843. In review.
Bakhtiari M, Rasmann S. Variation in Below-to Aboveground Systemic Induction of Glucosinolates Mediates Plant Fitness Consequences under Herbivore Attack. J Chem Ecol 46, 317–329 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-020-01159-5
Bakhtiari M, Formenti L, Caggìa V, Glauser G, Rasmann S. (2019). Variable effects on growth and defense traits for plant ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity along elevation gradients. Ecology & Evolution, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4999.
Bakhtiari M, Glauser, G., & Rasmann, S. (2018). Root JA Induction Modifies Glucosinolate Profiles and Increases Subsequent Aboveground Resistance to Herbivore Attack in Cardamine hirsuta. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 1230-1240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01230
Knauer A. C., Bakhtiari M., & Schiestl, F. P. (2018). Crab spiders impact floral-signal evolution indirectly through removal of florivores. Nature Communications, 9(1), 1367-1376. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03792-x
Kergunteuil A., Bakhtiari M., Rasmann S. (2018) Eco-evolutionary Factors Driving Plant-Mediated Above– Belowground Invertebrate Interactions along Elevation Gradients. In: Ohgushi T., Wurst S., Johnson S. (eds) Aboveground–Belowground Community Ecology. Ecological Studies (Analysis and Synthesis), vol 234. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91614-9_10
Kergunteuil A., Bakhtiari, M., Formenti, L., Defossez, E., & Rasmann, S. (2016). Biological Control beneath the Feet: A Review of Crop Protection against Insect Root Herbivores. Insects, 7(4), 70-92. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects7040070
Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Integrative Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Office: 4095 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, California 94720
email: Moe.bakhtiari@berkeley.edu
Appointments & Education
SNSF Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley (2020-)
Ph.D. Organismal Biology|Chemical Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland (2019)
MSc. Systematics & Evolution, Institute of Systematics & Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland (2015)
BSc. Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada (2012)
Research Interests
I am a chemical ecologist broadly interested in the evolutionary biology of plant-insect interactions in natural and applied contexts. My research focuses on unraveling the chemical mechanisms governing interactions between plants and their biotic and abiotic environment. I am interested in employing a mechanistic approach in studying the role of secondary compounds as ecological signals in order to identify crucial pathways involved in plant defense against insect pests. Such approach allows for the identification of links between gene regulations, biochemical pathways and expression of secondary metabolites to delineate biochemical signals and regulatory processes involved in plant resistance against pests. Application of multi-omics represents a frontier in plant sciences and ecology, enhancing our understanding of the complexity of nature but more so the knowledge gain through its application in ecological and evolutionary research can be integrated in environmentally sound- agricultural pest managements –and plant breeding practices.
My postdoctoral research at Whiteman lab focuses on evolutionary genomics of how plants’ reproductive and defense traits evolve in response to natural selection imposed by both mutualists (pollinators) and antagonists (herbivores). I investigate the genomic basis of how plants evolved to engineer chemical solutions to navigate such relationships and solve ecological problems.
Publications
Bakhtiari M, Glauser G, Defossez E, Rasmann S. Ecological convergence of secondary phytochemicals along elevation gradients. Authorea. (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.158169797.74987843. In review.
Bakhtiari M, Rasmann S. Variation in Below-to Aboveground Systemic Induction of Glucosinolates Mediates Plant Fitness Consequences under Herbivore Attack. J Chem Ecol 46, 317–329 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-020-01159-5
Bakhtiari M, Formenti L, Caggìa V, Glauser G, Rasmann S. (2019). Variable effects on growth and defense traits for plant ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity along elevation gradients. Ecology & Evolution, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4999.
Bakhtiari M, Glauser, G., & Rasmann, S. (2018). Root JA Induction Modifies Glucosinolate Profiles and Increases Subsequent Aboveground Resistance to Herbivore Attack in Cardamine hirsuta. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 1230-1240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01230
Knauer A. C., Bakhtiari M., & Schiestl, F. P. (2018). Crab spiders impact floral-signal evolution indirectly through removal of florivores. Nature Communications, 9(1), 1367-1376. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03792-x
Kergunteuil A., Bakhtiari M., Rasmann S. (2018) Eco-evolutionary Factors Driving Plant-Mediated Above– Belowground Invertebrate Interactions along Elevation Gradients. In: Ohgushi T., Wurst S., Johnson S. (eds) Aboveground–Belowground Community Ecology. Ecological Studies (Analysis and Synthesis), vol 234. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91614-9_10
Kergunteuil A., Bakhtiari, M., Formenti, L., Defossez, E., & Rasmann, S. (2016). Biological Control beneath the Feet: A Review of Crop Protection against Insect Root Herbivores. Insects, 7(4), 70-92. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects7040070