Miaoying Tian

Miaoying Tian is the Ji-Georgia Vegetable Industry Distinguished Professorship in Plant Pathology and an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia (UGA), within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Ohio State University (2005). Her research focuses on vegetable and fruit diseases caused by oomycetes and fungi, with emphasis on functional genomics, plant resistance mechanisms, and CRISPR-mediated genome editing to develop disease-resistant crop varieties. She has extensive experience in molecular biology techniques, including Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.

Dr. Tian’s work includes studies on Phytophthora palmivora, Peronospora belbahrii, and Fusarium oxysporum, exploring pathogen virulence factors, host-pathogen interactions, and diagnostic marker development. Her recent grants include projects funded by NIFA and the National Science Foundation investigating soil-borne pathogens and pathogenicity mechanisms. She has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles, contributing to understanding pathogen biology and developing innovative disease management strategies. Her lab uses cutting-edge genomic tools to advance agricultural resilience against plant pathogens.