CURRICULUM VITAE. EXPERIENCE May 2012 present Assistant Scientist, Iowa State University, Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology.

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1 CURRICULUM VITAE Y. Mbofung-Curtis Iowa State University of Science and Technology Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology Ames, IA Telephone: Cell (515) PERSONAL STATEMENT Dynamic Plant Pathologist and Seed Physiologist with experience in research on corn, soybean and lettuce pathogens, seed health testing, seed transmission of wilt-causing pathogens, agricultural plant pest diagnostic tool development, pathogen population dynamics and phylogeny, in vitro and in vivo disease screening and selection, bioanalytical methods development and optimization, transgene analysis, genetic transformations. A talented project manager and team leader with years of research experience in research project management and execution. EXPERIENCE May 2012 present Assistant Scientist, Iowa State University, Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology. Projects: Elucidation of potential corn hybrid resistance mechanisms to the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (Cmn), the causal agent of Goss wilt of corn. Determination of the relationship between Goss leaf blight severity and seed infection and transmission in corn. Design of primers to detect Cmn in corn seed. Determination of virulence factors, isolation and characterization of native plasmids in Cmn. Responsibilities: Design greenhouse experiments to elucidate corn hybrid resistance mechanisms to the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Use scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopy to study structural changes in corn leaves infected with Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Design field experiments to determine the relationship that exists between Goss leaf blight severity and seed infection and transmission in corn. Develop standard operating procedures for experiments and mentor graduate and undergraduate students of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. Develop technology for accurate pathogen diagnosis in corn. Demonstrated a relationship between Goss s leaf blight disease severity and seed infection and transmission of Cmn. Since Goss s wilt is a disease of major phytosanitary importance, this information would be very important for the seed trade. Demonstrated that tolerance in corn hybrids is associated with the production of a thick matrix in xylem and mesophyll cells that inhibit the multiplication of bacteria, resulting in slow lesion expansion. 1

2 Showed that tolerance to Cmn infection is induced approximately 10 days after infection. January 2010-May 2012 Research Assistant, Iowa State University, Crop Production and Physiology, Department of Agronomy, Seed Science Center. Projects: Optimizing storage conditions for maintaining soybean seed quality. Corn and soybean seed health and seed quality testing. Showed that soybean seeds stored better and maintained higher viability and vigor than untreated seeds under low temperature and relative humidity conditions. Demonstrated that application of fungicides and insecticides to seeds may be advantageous in maintaining seed quality. Showed that low temperature and relative humidity synergistically minimized aging reactions and fungal colonization in the treated seeds. Demonstrated that the oil content of soybean seeds did not significantly influence the seed viability but significantly affected seed vigor. Showed that soybean seeds bred for high protein contents store better when storage temperatures are 10 C and the relative humidity did not exceed 40%. December December 2009 Projects: Assessment of population diversity in pathogen population in Iowa, causal agent of the sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean. Responsibilities: Determine the morphological and molecular characterization of SDS Fusarium spp. using RAPD, ISSR, Minisatellites and in-gel hybridization with microsatellite probes. Correlation of genotype groups with aggressiveness of isolates using greenhouse pathogenicity protocols sensitive enough to detect small differences in genotype. Development of a new TaqMan real-time PCR assay for quantification of Fusarium virguliforme in soil and soybean roots. Determination of temperature, light and ph effects on growth, sporulation and chlamydospore production in F. virguliforme. In collaborative studies, screened soybean lines for resistance to F. virguliforme for the identification of qualitative trait loci. Identified 25 different genotypes within the F. virguliforme population, indicating a greater genetic variability within the US populations of F. virguliforme than was previously known. Identified a single major genotype from Iowa and Minnesota suggesting a single genotype may have been introduced into the region, and that minor genotypes may have arisen from mutations of this single genotype. Showed that the low level of genetic variation within F. virguliforme was a result of recent introduction of the pathogen. Showed that environmental factors were very important in controlling F. virguliforme. 2

3 Demonstrated a need to screen for both root rot and leaf scorch resistance in cultivars that are bred for resistance against this pathogen. Developed a real-time PCR assay to identify the pathogen in soil with the sequence of a virulence factor using the TaqMan chemistry. Showed that rotating soybean with corn, alfalfa, and red clover could suppress SDS development and reduce yield loss due to the disease. Showed that integrating crop rotation with use of resistant varieties may provide a stronger management practice for SDS. August December 2006 University of Arizona, Department of Plant Science, Division of Plant Pathology, Tucson, AZ. Projects: Molecular phylogeny, population dynamics and seed transmission of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, causal agent of wilt in lettuce. Identified genetically different strains of F. o. f. sp. Lactucae, and determined that only one of these strains was present in the U.S and all three present in Japan. The implication was that the pathogen was introduced into the United States from a foreign source. Developed and evaluated a polymerase chain reaction-based (PCR) assay for the rapid detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae in lettuce seeds that is faster, more sensitive, and more accurate than the conventional methods. Showed that the pathogen population in Arizona was more homogenous than that in California, implying that the pathogen moved into Arizona from California. Proposed the use of seed treatments and resistant lettuce cultivars for the best management strategies against the disease. August 1994 September 1996 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Crop Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. Project: Cassava root rot disease in the central region of Ghana: incidence and distribution. Determined the spatial distribution and identified the causal agents of cassava root rot disease (Fusarium sp., Polyporus sulphureus and Gliocladium sp.) Identified soil types and conditions that favor the development of cassava root rot disease. Laid the groundwork for further studies on the possibility of in-ground storage of cassava roots for rural communities in Ghana. Additional areas of research expertise: Cloning and transformation of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea with expression vectors. 3

4 Phylogenetic analysis of small-spored catenulate Alternaria species belonging to the Alternaria alternata species-group using ITS and GPD. Extraction and isolation of Alternaria proteins associated with allergic reactions leading to asthma using SDS-PAGE and IEF. Diagnosis of fungal plant pathogens and excellent knowledge of fungal and bacterial culture maintenance in the laboratory. EDUCATION Ph.D.: December 2006 University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Major: Plant Pathology Specialization: Mycology Minor: Genetics Dissertation: Phylogeny, molecular detection, and genetic variation of Fusarium oxysporum, vascular wilt pathogen of lettuce. Master of Science: May 2012 Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, IA Crop Production and Physiology Specialization: Seed Physiology Department of Agronomy Thesis: Effects of maturity group, seed composition and storage conditions on the quality and storability of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) seed Master of Philosophy: September 1996 University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana Major: Crop Protection Thesis: Studies on Fungi associated with root rot of Cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz. in the Central Region of Ghana Bachelor of Science/ Maitrise/DEA Degree: June 1990 University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon Major: Plant Biology and Physiology PUBLICATIONS Mbofung, G., Sernett, J. and Robertson, A.E Comparison of susceptible and resistant maize hybrids to colonization Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Plant Disease (First look). Mallowa, S.O., Mbofung, G.Y., Eggenberger, S.K., Den Adel, R.L., Scheiding, S.R. and Robertson, A.E Infection of maize by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. Nebraskensis does not require severe wounding. Pant Disease (First look). Mbofung, G.C.Y., Goggi, A.S., Leandro, L.F.S. and Mullen, R.E Effects of storage temperature and relative humidity on viability and vigor of treated soybean seeds. Crop Science 53:

5 Kassem My Abdelmajid, Laura Ramos, Leonor Leandro, Mbofung, David L. Hyten, Stella K. Kantartzi, Robert I. Grier IV, Victor N. Njiti, Silvia Cianzo, and Khalid Meksem The PI B by Hamilton SNP-based genetic linkage map of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Identified quantitative trait loci that underlie seedling SDS resistance. Journal of Plant Genome Sciences 1 (1): Mbofung, G.Y.C., Harrington, T.C., Steimel, J.T., Navi, S.S., Yang, X. B. and Leandro, L.F Genetic structure and variation in aggressiveness in Fusarium virguliforme in the Midwest United States. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 34(1): Mbofung, G.C.Y., Fessehaie, A., Bhattacharyya, M. K., and Leandro, L.F.S A new Taqman real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for quantification of Fusarium virguliforme in Soil. Plant Disease 95: Mbofung, G.C.Y. and Pryor, B A PCR-based assay for detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae in lettuce seed. Plant Disease 94: Mbofung, G.Y., Hong, S.G., and Pryor, B. M Phylogeny of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae inferred from mitochondrial small subunit, elongation factor 1-α, and nuclear ribosomal intergenic spacer sequence data. Phytopathology 97: Léonard S. T. Ngamo, Fernand N. F. Tchuenguem, Mbofung Diversity and feeding behavior of insects visiting Brachiaria ruziziensis (Poaceae). International Journal of Tropical Insect Science: 25(03). Mapongmetsem P. M., Mbofung, G., Ibrahima, A, Tchuenguem Fohouo, F.N., Alexandre, D.Y. and Mefeng, O Location and evolution of Home Gardens in the Sudano-Guineean Savanah of Adamawa: Case of the Peri-urban zone of Ngaoundere (Cameroon). Biosciences Proceedings 7: Mbofung, G., Tchuenguem Fohouo, F.N., and Boukar, O Characterization of some honeys from the Adamawa, Cameroon, using mellisopalynological methods. Biosciences Proceedings 7: Opoku-Asiama Y., Mbofung, G.A. and Amewowor, D.H.A.K Incidence of cassava root rot in the central region of Ghana. Journal of the Ghana Science Association 1: Nukenine E. N., Olunjo Dixon, A.G., Hassan, A.T. and Mbofung, G.C Evaluation of cassava genotypes for resistance to green spider mite (Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar) in Nigeria. Cam. Journal of Biological and Biochemical Sciences 8: ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPTS Ahmad, A., Mbofung, G.Y., Acharya, J., and Robertson, A.E Characterization and comparison of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis strains recovered from epiphytic and symptomatic infections of maize in Iowa. PlosOne. (Accepted) 5

6 MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION Block, C.C., Shepherd, L.M., Mbofung, G., Sernett, J. and Robertson, A.E. XXXX. Relationship between Goss s wilt and leaf blight severity and seed transmission of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Plant Disease Block, C.C., Shepherd, L.M., Mbofung, G., Sernett, J. and Robertson, A.E. XXXX. Effect of seed conditioning on seed infection and transmission of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Plant Disease Mbofung, G., Gougherty, A., Nutter, F.W., Jr., Sernett, J. and Robertson, A.E. XXXX. Effect of surfactants on Goss s wilt and leaf blight severity. Plant Health Progress Mbofung, G. and Robertson, A.E. XXXX. Effect of growth stage on systemic infection of corn by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Plant Health Progress or Plant Disease. ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTATIONS International Symposium on Fusarium wilt of lettuce, November 11-13, 2015 Yuma, AZ. Barry M. Pryor and Y. C. Mbofung. Detection, Management, and Impact of Seedborne inoculum on Fusarium wilt of lettuce. Conference on Excellence in Desert Agriculture, Yuma, AZ. Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture. Annual APS meeting, August 10-14, 2013 Austin, TX. G.C.Y. Mbofung and A. E. Robertson. Differences in corn hybrid structural responses to infection by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskenis. Phytopathology 103 (Suppl.2): S2.93. North Central Division of American Phytopathological Society (APS), June 12-14, 2013 Manhattan, KS. G.Y. Mbofung and A.E. Robertson. Greenhouse corn hybrid responses to infection by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis. Phytopathology 103 (Suppl. 3): S3.6. Annual APS meeting, August 4-8, 2012, Providence, RI. N. Abdelsamad, G.C. Mbofung, A.E. Robertson, M. Liebman and L.F. Leandro, L.F. Long-term crop rotations suppress soybean sudden death syndrome in Iowa. Phytopathology 102 (Suppl. 4):S4.1. American Seed Trade Association Conference, ASTA, 66 th Corn and Sorghum Seed Research Conference, 41 st Soybean Seed Research Conference, December 6-9, 2011, Chicago, IL. Mbofung, G.C.Y., Goggi, A.S., Leandro, L.F.S. and Mullen, R.E. Extending the life of treated soybean seed in storage. ASTA s CSS Conference and Seed Expo, poster # 13. Annual APS meeting, August 7-11, 2010, Charlotte, NC. G. C. Mbofung, M. Vincent, A. Fessehaie, M. K. Bhattacharyya, L. F. Leandro. Quantifying Fusarium virguliforme in soil using SYBR green and Taqman assays. Phytopathology 100:S80. Annual APS meeting, July 26-30, 2008, Minneapolis, MN. G. Mbofung, A. Fessehaie, and L. Leandro. Quantification of F. virguliforme in field soil using TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. Phytopathology 98:S101. 6

7 Annual APS meeting, July 26-30, 2008 Minneapolis, MN. G.C. Mbofung, T. C. Harrington, J. Steimel, X. Yang, S.S. Navi, and L.F. Leandro. Understanding differential virulence within Fusarium virguliforme using multiloci fingerprint analyses. Phytopathology 98:S101. Annual APS meeting, July 26-30, 2008 Minneapolis, MN. P. Delgo, G. Mbofung, L. Leandro. Temperature and light effects on growth and sporulation of isolates of Fusarium virguliforme. Phytopathology 98:S45. Annual APS meeting, July 28 August 1, 2007, San Diego, CA. G.C. Mbofung and B.M. Pryor. Potential for dispersal of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae by infested lettuce seed. Phytopathology 97:S72. Annual APS meeting, July 29 August 2, 2006, Quebec City, QC, Canada. G.C. Mbofung and B.M. Pryor. Introduction of Fusarium oxysporum into Arizona: Indirect evidence of seedborne transmission. Phytopathology 96:S109. Annual APS meeting, July 29 August 2, 2006 Quebec City, QC, Canada. G.C. Mbofung, S.G, Hong and B.M. Pryor. Detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae in seed. Phytopathology 96:AP353. Annual APS meeting, July 31-August 4, 2004 Anaheim, CA. G.Y. Mbofung and B. M. Pryor. Genetic variation in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae causing wilt in lettuce. Phytopathology 94:S68. Annual APS meeting, August 9-13, 2003 Charlotte, NC. G. C. Mbofung and B.M. Pryor. Characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae based upon sequences of the translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 ), the mitochondrial small subunit (mtssu) and the intergenic spacer (IGS) rdna. Phytopathology 93:S59. TEACHING EXPERIENCE June Present: Presentations at Iowa State University Seed Science workshops. Iowa State University of Science and Technology Present: Collaborator Extension Field Days. Iowa State University of Science and Technology. January 2012-May 2012: Manager of the Center for Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses (CPRES), Plant Sciences Institute, ISU. April 2011: Coordinated the PCR lab for Seed Pathology (PLP574) course : TA for Biology 181 lab in the Department of Molecular and Cellular biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. Responsibilities included examination proctoring, teaching of two lab sections and grading of assignments. 7

8 : Assistant lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences. Prepared and presented lectures and labs in thallophytes and Angiosperms and for an introductory course in general Plant Pathology. University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon. 1996: TA for Introduction to Plant Pathology. Prepared and assisted in all labs for introductory course in general plant pathology. Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, Cape Coast, Ghana. HONORS AND AWARDS International Scholarship Award: Iowa State University, 2011 Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship Award: American Seed Trade Association, 2011 Second place in Agriculture: Graduate Student and Professional Council (GSPC) research showcase, University of Arizona, Tucson, 2005 APS Pacific Division Student Travel Award 2004 APS Foundation Student Travel Award 2004 SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP American Seed Trade Association American Phytopathological Society (APS) APS Committee on Women and Cultural Diversity Winrock International Scholar 8