Cara Haney

Cara Haney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on plant-microbiome interactions, particularly exploring how beneficial and pathogenic microbes influence plant health, growth, and defense mechanisms. She employs genomic, ecological, and systems biology approaches to unravel the complex dynamics of rhizosphere microbiomes.

Her work emphasizes understanding symbiotic relationships, bacterial pathogenesis, and the genetic and environmental factors shaping microbiome composition. Key contributions include developing high-throughput tools like MYCroplanters to study host-microbe interactions and advancing knowledge of regulatory networks such as GacA/S in Pseudomonas species.

Dr. Haney's research spans plant immunity, microbiome engineering, and the application of eco-evolutionary principles to agriculture. She has published extensively on topics like biofilm formation, specialized metabolites, and the role of amino acids in immune homeostasis.