Li Maria Ma

Dr. Li Maria Ma is an Associate Professor at Oklahoma State University (OSU), affiliated with the department of Entomology & Plant Pathology. Her research focuses on food safety, particularly the detection and control of foodborne pathogens and mycotoxin-producing fungi. She joined OSU in 2009 as part of the NIMFFAB (National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Food and Agricultural Biosecurity), specializing in postharvest decontamination technologies.

Education:

• B.S., Food Engineering, Dalian Institute of Light Industry, PRC
• Ph.D., Food Microbiology, Purdue University
• Postdoc, Food Microbiology, University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety

Research Interests: Dr. Ma's work combines advanced detection methods (e.g., whole genome sequencing) with innovative technologies like atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) to address food safety challenges. Her projects include optimizing ACP for produce and grain decontamination, elucidating pathogen ecology in plant/animal environments, and mitigating mycotoxin risks in commodities such as corn and peanuts.

Labs/Teams: Her research team operates within the NIMFFAB, focusing on microbial forensics and food/agricultural biosecurity. Collaborations include work with the CDC on foodborne outbreak investigations.