Institute for Plant Genomics & Biotechnology

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Purdue University      Entomology                Ph.D. 1994
Fudan University       Shanghai Biology       M.S. 1988
Fudan University       Shanghai Biology       B.S. 1985

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2011-present Professor, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
2005-2010 Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
1999-2004 Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
1997-1999 Research Associate, Department of Entomology, Purdue University
1995-1996 Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Entomology, Purdue University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Illustration of molecular and genetic mechanisms of insect-plant and insect-environment interactions; (a) Understanding the mode of action of plant defense proteins and dissecting defense signal transduction pathways; (b) Uncovering the mechanisms of insect adaption to plant defense and to environmental stresses.

HONORS AND AWARDS

2004 The DuPont Young Professor Award. The Corporate Center for Collaborative Research and Education and the DuPont Fellows Forum.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

2014 Member of the American Society of Plant Biologists
2000-present Member of the Entomological Society of America
2012-2013 Associate editor for a special ‘Insect-Plant Interactions’ section of Insect Science
2012 Organizing committee member for The Second International Symposium on Insect Midgut Biology
2010-present Editorial board member for the journal Insect Science
2011 Panel member for NSF
2010 Panel member for USDA-NIFA
2009 Panel member for USDA-NIFA
2009 Panel member for USDA-NIFA
2010-2013 Faculty senate at Texas A&M University
2008-2012 Panelist, Entomological Foundation Awards Judging Panels, ESA,
2000-present Faculty member of interdisciplinary programs at Texas A&M University (MEPS, Genetics, Biotechnology, VFIC)
2001 Panel member for USDA Food & Ag Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program

SELECTED PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

1. Lei, J., S.A. Finlayson, R.A. Salzman, L. Shan and K. Zhu-Salzman (2014) BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 modulates Arabidopsis resistance to green peach aphids via PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4. Plant Physiol. (in press)
2. Guo, H., Y. Sun, Y. Li, P. Wang, X. Liu, K. Zhu-Salzman, and F. Ge (2014) Elevated CO2 alters the feeding behavior of the pea aphid by modifying the physical and chemical resistance of Medicago truncatula. Plant, Cell Environ. (in press)
3. Song, Y.Y., M. Ye, C. Li, X. He, K. Zhu-Salzman, R.L. Wang, Y.J. Su, S.M. Luo and R.S. Zeng (2014) Hijacking common mycorrhizal networks for herbivore-induced defence signal transfer between tomato plants. Scientific Reports (in press)
4. Ye, M., Y.Y. Song, J. Long, R.L. Wang, S.R. Baerson, Z. Pan, K. Zhu-Salzman, J.F. Xie, K.Z. Cai, S.M. Luo and R.S. Zeng (2013) Priming of jasmonate-mediated anti-herbivore defense responses in rice by silicon. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (in press)
5. Guo, H., Y. Sun, B. Tong, M. Harris, K. Zhu-Salzman, and F. Ge (2013) Pea aphid promotes amino acid metabolism both in Medicago truncatula and bacteriocytes to favor aphid population growth under elevated CO2. Global Change Biol. 19: 3210–3223
6. Cheng, W., J. Lei, J-E. Ahn, Y. Wang, C.L. Lei and K. Zhu-Salzman (2013) CO2 enhances effects of hypoxia on mortality, development, and gene expression in cowpea bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus. J. Insect Physiol. (in press)
7. Sun, Y., H. Guo, K. Zhu-Salzman and F. Ge (2013) Elevated CO2 increases the abundance of the peach aphid on Arabidopsis by reducing jasmonic acid defenses. Plant Sci. 210: 128– 140
8. Ahn, J-E., X. Zhou, S.E. Dowd, R.S. Chapkin and K. Zhu-Salzman (2013) Insight into hypoxia tolerance in cowpea bruchid: metabolic repression and heat shock protein regulation via hypoxia-inducible factor 1. PLoS ONE 8: e57267
9. Guo, F., J. Lei, Y. Sun, Y. H. Chi, F. Ge, B. Patil, H. Koiwa, R.S. Zeng and K. Zhu-Salzman (2012) Antagonistic regulation, yet synergistic defense: Effect of bergapten and protease inhibitor on development of cowpea bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus. PLoS ONE 7: e41877
10. Jing, X., H. Vogel, R. Grebenok, K. Zhu-Salzman and S. Behmer (2012) Dietary sterols/steroids and the generalist caterpillar Helicoverpa zea: physiology, biochemistry and midgut gene expression. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 42: 835-845
11. Ye, M., S.M. Luo, J.F. Xie, Y.F. Li, T. Xu, Y. Liu, Y.Y. Song, K. Zhu-Salzman and R.S. Zeng (2012) Silencing COI1 in rice increases susceptibility to chewing insects and impairs inducible defense. PLoS ONE 7: e36214
12. Cheng, W., J. Lei, J-E. Ahn, T.-X. Liu and K. Zhu-Salzman (2012) Effects of decreased O2 and elevated CO2 on survival, development, and gene expression in cowpea bruchids. J. Insect Physiol. 58: 792-800
13. Chi, Y.H., J-E. Ahn, D-J. Yun, S.Y. Lee, T.-X. Liu and K. Zhu-Salzman (2011) Changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide environment alter gene expression of cowpea bruchids. J. Insect Physiol. 57: 220-230
14. Ahn, J-E., L.A. Guarino and K. Zhu-Salzman (2010) Coordination of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 and seven-up controls insect counter-defense cathepsin B expression. Biol. Chem. 285: 6573-6584
15. Ahn, J-E. and K. Zhu-Salzman (2009) CmCatD, a cathepsin D-like protease has a potential role in insect defense against a phytocystatin. Insect Physiol. 55: 678-685
16. Chi, Y.H., R.A. Salzman, S. Balfe, J-E. Ahn, W. Sun, J. Moon, D-J. Yun, S.Y. Lee, T.J.V. Higgins, B. Pittendrigh, L.L. Murdock and K. Zhu-Salzman (2009) Cowpea bruchid midgut transcriptome response to a soybean cystatin—costs and benefits of counter-defense. Insect Mol. Biol. 18: 97-110
17. Koo, Y.D., J-E. Ahn, R.A. Salzman, J. Moon, Y.H. Chi, D-J. Yun, S.Y. Lee, H. Koiwa and K. Zhu-Salzman (2008) Functional expression of an insect cathepsin B-like counter-defense protein. Insect Mol. Biol. 17:235-245
18. Zhu-Salzman, K., D.S. Luthe and G.W. Felton (2008) Arthropod-inducible proteins: