معرفی
Aurelie Rakotondrafara is a Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on plant virology, particularly the translation mechanisms of RNA viruses in the Potyviridae family, which cause widespread crop damage. She investigates cap-independent translation elements like IRES in viral RNAs and their interactions with host factors.
Education:
- Ph.D., Iowa State University
- M.S., Iowa State University
- B.S., Universite d’Antananarivo, Madagascar
Her work deciphers how mutations in host translation initiation factors confer natural resistance to plant viruses, with key studies on Potato virus Y (PVY) and Triticum mosaic virus. She develops diagnostic protocols for viral detection (e.g., RT-LAMP assays) and explores viral effector proteins like HCPro that suppress plant defenses.
Recent research trends include:
- Co-infection dynamics between viruses and other pathogens
- RNA structural elements in translation control
- Molecular basis of resistance gene specificity
- Functional roles of non-AUG ORFs in viral movement
- Host-pathogen co-evolution in agricultural systems
- Biotechnological applications of viral IRES elements
She mentors graduate student Helena Jaramillo Mesa and teaches interdisciplinary courses on plant-microbe interactions. Her lab provides protocols for oat protoplast manipulation and viral RNA analysis.
