Barbara Valent,professor of Kansas State University.Research in the Valent Lab focuses on understanding effector biology and biotrophic strategies used by the ascomycete fungus Magnaporthe (Pyricularia) oryzae to cause the devastating rice blast disease. Her laboratory is currently applying live cell microscopy and functional genomics to understand how the fungus colonizes living rice cells. Valent currently serves as Project Director for the USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture Integrated Project (Grant # 2013-68004-20378) entitled "Novel Strategies for Managing Blast Diseases on Rice and Wheat." In this capacity, she leads an interdisciplinary team of research and Extension specialists from diverse institutions in the U.S. and in South American countries where wheat blast is established. The goals are to leverage knowledge gained from blast research to protect U.S. rice production from blast disease and to prepare for and prevent establishment of wheat blast disease in the U.S.