Tiffany M Jamann

Tiffany M Jamann is an Associate Professor in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, where she holds the Monsanto Fellowship in Plant Breeding. Her research program focuses on understanding and improving disease resistance mechanisms in maize through integrated genetic, genomic, and phenotypic approaches. Dr. Jamann's work spans multiple disease systems with particular emphasis on foliar diseases such as Northern Leaf Blight and ear diseases like Gibberella ear rot.

Her research interests include:

• Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for disease resistance in maize
• Development of near-isogenic line populations for gene discovery
• Comparative studies of resistance mechanisms across different pathosystems
• Investigation of pattern-triggered immunity in maize
• Standardization of pathogen inoculation and disease rating methodologies

Analysis of Dr. Jamann's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strategic integration of traditional plant breeding with cutting-edge genomic approaches. Her work demonstrates increasing use of comparative genomics and transcriptomics to identify host-specificity genes in pathogens while maintaining strong focus on practical breeding applications. A notable trend is her development of standardized methodologies for pathogen inoculation across multiple disease systems, enabling more reliable resistance evaluation.

• Monsanto Fellow in Plant Breeding
• Multiple publications featured in news outlets and academic discussions
• Active research with significant social media engagement (46 X users mentioning her work)

Dr. Jamann's research program likely involves extensive collaboration with other plant pathologists and breeders, as evidenced by her numerous co-authored publications. Her work on multi-environment trials suggests substantial field research across different geographical locations. The development of specialized maize germplasm, including near-isogenic lines, indicates long-term investment in genetic resources for disease resistance research.

Her laboratory maintains sophisticated capabilities for pathogen characterization, high-throughput phenotyping using fluorescence microscopy, and genetic mapping approaches. The emphasis on both fundamental plant-pathogen interactions and applied crop improvement demonstrates a research program that bridges basic science with practical agricultural outcomes.