Pradeep Kachroo

Pradeep Kachroo is a Professor at the University of Kentucky in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, specifically within the Department of Plant Pathology. His research focuses on understanding plant defense mechanisms during host-pathogen interactions, with an emphasis on lipid and fatty acid signaling pathways, cross-talk between light and defense signaling, and systemic acquired resistance (SAR).

• Ph.D. in Microbiology from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India and University of Wisconsin-Madison (1995)
• M.S. in Biotechnology, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India (1989)
• B.S. (Honors) in Botany, University of Delhi, India (1987)

His research explores how Arabidopsis thaliana interacts with pathogens like Pseudomonas syringae, Turnip Crinkle Virus (TCV), and Botrytis cinerea, focusing on lipid and fatty acid pathways, cuticle function, and R-protein signaling. Recent publications highlight roles of glycerol-3-phosphate, pipecolic acid, and plasmodesmata in systemic immunity.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Thomas Poe Cooper Award for Agriculture Research, University of Kentucky
• Noel T. Keen Award for Research Excellence in Molecular Plant Pathology, American Phytopathological Society

He teaches courses in plant health and disease physiology and leads a research lab with postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and research specialists. His work involves collaborations and has been highlighted in Faculty of 1000 Biology and other high-impact journals.