Eric L. Davis
Dr. Eric Davis was elected Fellow of the Society of Nematologists, August, 2012
Source: Nematology Newletter, September 2012
Rev. 01/01/2020
| Dr. Eric L. Davis received his B.S. degree in Plant Science from the University of Rhode Island, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Nematology from the University of Florida. Following a postdoc at the University of Georgia with Dr. Richard Hussey, Dr. Davis joined the faculty at North Carolina State University, where he is currently the Williams Neals Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Director of Graduate Programs. |
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| Photo courtesy of J. Eisenback |
Dr. Davis has been a
pioneer in advancing our understanding of the molecular basis of the feeding
cells induced by cyst and root-knot nematodes. From the nematode side of the
interaction, he is emphasizing the molecular characterization and functional
analysis of cyst nematode and root-knot nematode parasitism genes.
Dr. Davis was one of the leaders in cloning genes encoding cellulases from cyst nematodes. This significant discovery was the first parasitism gene encoding an esophageal gland secretory protein to be cloned from a plant-parasitic nematode and the first cellulase gene to be cloned from an animal. The cyst nematode cellulases show the highest similarity with bacterial cellulases. This discovery of putative horizontal gene transfer of parasitism genes from bacteria to nematodes has been considered as one of the most important advancements in plant nematology during the past 25 years!
Dr. Davis was also the first to discover that nematode parasitism proteins could mimic host plant peptides. His lab demonstrated that a soybean cyst nematode parasitism protein can function as a mimic of plant CLAVATA3/ERS-like peptides that appear to interact in signaling pathways that effect plant cell differentiation and thus could play a role in parasitic modification of root cells into the syncytium. This was the first report of a CLAVATA3/ERS-like peptide discovered outside of the plant kingdom and revealed the remarkable ability that plant-parasitic nematodes have evolved to manipulate plant cells for their benefit.
Dr. Davis is a well
respected scientist and scholar whose research is highly regarded both at the
national and international level. He has received numerous
awards, including
the prestigious Ruth Allen Award and the Syngenta Award from the American
Phytopathological Society. He has received an enviable amount of extramural
support (over 3 million dollars). He has over 80 refereed publications in a
broad range of research journals (22 different journals) including many top tier
journals. And as an established leader in molecular nematology, Dr. Davis is
regularly sought after to participate in national and international symposia and
to write review articles on his areas of research interest.
Dr. Davis is also dedicated
to undergraduate and graduate education as demonstrated through his teaching
activities, mentoring eight graduate students and six postdoctoral research
associates, and currently serving as the Director of Graduate Programs in his
department,a very important and time consuming position.
The Society of
Nematologists has greatly benefitted from Dr. Davis’ leadership in several
important functions including Editor of the Journal of Nematology, scientific
program chair for nematology at the 2007 SON/APS joint meeting, and being
elected Vice President of our society in 2005, becoming President in 2007.
His commitment to professional
service also has extended to other societies and in other capacities, including
being elected President of both the North Carolina State University Chapter of
Gamma Sigma Delta and the Plant Pathology Society of North Carolina. He has
served as an Editor of Molecular Plant Pathology and as an invited member on
USDA-NRA (NIFA-AFRI) and BARD grant panels multiple times.