Robin Cameron
Professor, Biology

Research in the Cameron lab focuses on understanding the signal transduction pathways and the processes responsible for induced disease resistance in plants including Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) and Age-Related Resistance using the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. The Cameron research team continues to make significant contributions to the SAR field, including understanding long-distance communication, specifically how SAR signals move from induced to distant leaves to render uninfected distant leaves resistant to future infections. We also have made significant progress in understanding the mechanisms responsible for Age-Related Resistance (ARR) demonstrating that salicylic acid acts as both an anti-microbial and anti-biofilm agent to inhibit pathogen growth during ARR. Dr. Cameron is applying her expertise to enhance resistance in horticultural greenhouse crops like cucumber and tomato and has determined that SAR in cucumber is similar, but not identical to SAR in Arabidopsis. This highlights the importance of performing mechanistic studies in the actual crop under both lab and greenhouse/field conditions. Therefore, we are screening potential resistance-inducing compounds to identify those that induce resistance in cucumber and tobacco in our lab and will soon determine if work in the lab transfers the commercial greenhouse setting in the new McMaster greenhouse, which can simulate commercial greenhouse conditions..