Plants host a diverse microbiome that colonises various compartments, contributing to their growth and resilience. While significant progress has been made in uncovering microbiome functions, the mechanisms governing bacterial colonisation and persistence are still not well understood. During his PhD, Eber developed tools and resources in the model legume Lotus japonicus to investigate the bacterial genetic factors enabling their establishment in plant roots.
The PhD study was completed at Universitetsbyen 81, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: 13:00 Friday, 31 January 2025
Place: 1871-120 AUD Nucleus, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Identifying Genetic Components Driving Bacterial Adaptations to Plants
Contact information: Eber Villa, e-mail: eber.villa@mbg.au.dk
Members of the assessment committee:

• Professor Barbara Reinholt-Hurek, Department of Microbe-Plant Interactions, University of Bremen 
• Associate Professor Nanna Bjarnholt, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen
• Professor Kasper R. Andersen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Professor Simona Radutoiu, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Co-supervisor:
Professor Jens Stougaard, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Assistant Professor Shaun Ferguson, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.