معرفی
Mentewab Ayalew serves as Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at Spelman College, where she has been a faculty member since 2008. She is actively affiliated with the LINCS Program and teaches core courses including Plant Biology with Lab and Methods in Molecular Biology.
Her educational background includes:
- Ph.D. from Institut National Polytechnique, Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Agronomie de Toulouse (INP-ENSAT)
- M.A. from INP-ENSAT
- Diplome d'Ingenieur Agronome from INP-ENSAT
Dr. Ayalew's research program investigates plant adaptation to environmental stresses, with particular focus on antibiotic resistance mechanisms mediated by ABC transporters in Arabidopsis thaliana. She employs integrated approaches combining large-scale genomic analyses with targeted molecular studies of the AtWBC19 transporter to decipher stress response pathways.
Her publication record demonstrates sustained investigation into plant molecular defense systems, consistently utilizing Arabidopsis models to explore antibiotic resistance mechanisms, transporter protein functions, and genomic adaptations to chemical stressors.
Her research accomplishments have been recognized through significant awards:
- NSF RUI Grant (2011-2015) for antibiotic resistance mechanism studies
- QEM Network Faculty Development Program (2011-2013)
- MIT/HHMI Faculty Sabbatical Fellowship (2011)
Dr. Ayalew maintains an active undergraduate research program where students participate in molecular cloning, RNA-seq analysis, and transgenic plant studies. Her grant funding from NSF and HHMI supports laboratory infrastructure and student research experiences focused on plant stress physiology.
As Department Chair, she leads the Biology program's research initiatives and oversees the LINCS Program's plant biology research activities within Spelman College's Science Center.
