Education
Ph.D. – Entomology; Purdue University; Ames, West Lafayette, Indiana; 1994
M.S. – Biology, Fudan University; Shanghai, China; 1988
B.S – Biology, Fudan University; Shanghai, China; 1985

Research Emphasis

The long term goal of Dr. Zhu-Salzman’s research is to illustrate mechanisms of insect-plant-environment interactions. She is particularly interested in molecular and genetic bases of insect adaption to plant defense and to environmental stresses, using a postharvest storage insect pest as my model system. She also studies plant defense signal transduction against herbivore insects. Her current research projects aim to: 1) decipher how plants perceive phloem sap-feeding aphids and coordinately regulate defense pathways to minimize damage; 2) understand the mode of action of plant defense proteins; 3) profile gene expression in the insect alimentary tract when insects are challenged by anti-nutritional factors; 4) uncover the mechanism of insect tolerance to hypoxia (low O2, as a postharvest pest control strategy); 5) exploit the metabolic constraint in insects and manipulate plant sterol profiles to control herbivore insects; 6) use electron beam to control insect pests and insect-vectored diseases. The long term goal of my research is to illustrate molecular mechanisms of insect-plant-environment interactions. Dr. Zhu-Salzman is particularly interested in plant defense signal transduction against aphids, and the molecular and genetic bases of insect adaption to plant defense and to environmental stresses.