Feng Feng

Feng Feng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Oklahoma State University, where he has been employed since August 2020. His research focuses on understanding how plants interact with microbial communities in their rhizosphere under various environmental conditions.

Dr. Feng received his Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China (2008-2012), followed by an M.S. in Microbiology and B.S. in Biotechnology from Henan Agricultural University in Zhengzhou, China.

• Ph.D., Plant Molecular Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China (2008-2012)
• M.S., Microbiology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China (2005-2008)
• B.S., Biotechnology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China (2001-2005)

Dr. Feng's research interests center on plant-microbe interactions, particularly how plants balance immunity and symbiosis signaling pathways when encountering both pathogenic and beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere. His work examines how environmental conditions affect plant decisions to promote or inhibit microbial colonization, with the goal of developing cropping systems that require less chemical fertilizer and are more resilient to climate change. Using molecular, cell biology, genetic, and biochemical approaches, his lab investigates how abiotic environmental factors regulate plant-microbe interactions and how immunity and symbiosis signaling pathways influence broader microbial communities.

Dr. Feng's scholarly output shows a consistent focus on plant immunity and symbiosis mechanisms, particularly involving LysM receptor-like kinases and their role in distinguishing between pathogenic and symbiotic microbial signals. His recent work has increasingly emphasized the ecological context of plant-microbe interactions and the potential applications for sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Feng serves as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology (since 2022) and has editorial roles with several other journals including Frontiers in Plant Science, Horticultural Plant Journal, and iMeta.

• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Microbiology (2022-present)
• Editorial Board, Frontiers in Plant Science (2021-present)
• Editorial Board, Horticultural Plant Journal (2021-present)
• Editorial Board, iMeta (2021-present)

Dr. Feng actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, with his lab currently recruiting Ph.D. students and postdocs interested in plant-microbe interactions. He has secured multiple research grants including funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST).

His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which plants regulate their interactions with rhizosphere communities, with particular focus on how environmental conditions influence the balance between immunity and symbiosis signaling pathways.