Jeri Barak

Jeri Barak is a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She leads the Barak Lab, focusing on bacterial-plant interactions with implications for food safety.

• Education: BS in Marine Biology and English (San Jose State University, 1993); PhD in Plant Pathology (UC Davis, 2000)

Research Interests center on how plant pathogens like Xanthomonas gardneri and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato alter host physiology to create niches for secondary microbes, particularly Salmonella enterica. Her work examines:

• Pathogen-induced apoplast modifications
• Bacterial community dynamics in infected plants
• Vector-mediated pathogen transmission (e.g., leafhoppers, thrips)
• Environmental factors affecting colonization
• Foodborne pathogen persistence

Publication Trends reveal a focus on Salmonella and Xanthomonas interactions in tomato and lettuce systems. Keywords include microbial ecology, plant-pathogen dynamics, and agricultural safety.

Student Mentorship highlights include advising Sofia Weinstein, who spearheaded the UW Organic Collaborative and Electric Food Truck initiative.

Outreach & Education involves teaching Global Food Security (PP311) and leading initiatives like the Food Recovery Network. Her lab bridges plant pathology and public health through applied research.