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I am a plant molecular biologist fascinated by cell-cell signaling and species interactions.

After graduating from the University of Tübingen (Germany) with a degree in Biology, I obtained my PhD from the University of Zurich (Switzerland). I studied cell-cell communication mechanisms between male and female gametophytes in the plant genus Arabidopsis. This spiked my interest in intercellular communication, and I moved on to conduct my postdoctoral research with Maria Harrison at the Boyce Thompson Institute/Cornell (Ithaca, NY). There I started to study another aspect of cellular communication: peptide signaling in the context of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, a research area that we continue to pursue in the PlantMycoLab.

In my free time, I enjoy traveling, the outdoors, food, and … also plants.

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Sagar is a PhD student in the Biological Science program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

Sagar’s interest in plant molecular research began with his undergraduate degree in Biotechnology, which he completed at Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU, India) in 2018. Following his undergraduate education, Sagar pursued a master’s degree in Plant Science from the University of Bonn, Germany, completed in January 2021. His master’s thesis, conducted at the Technical University of Munich, Germany in the lab of Dr. Caroline Gutjahr (current Max Planck Institute of Plant Physiology), revolved around investigating the molecular mechanisms of lipid transfer between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, a topic that continues to inspire his ongoing research into plant-microbe interactions.

Prior to his PhD studies, Sagar acquired a broad range of research experience. In 2021, he contributed to the Evolutionary Microbiology lab of Dr. Bart Thomma as a research assistant at the University of Cologne, Germany, and also served as a junior research and development scientist at Ambiatec Biosolutions, Germany. These roles allowed him to further develop his research skills and deepen his knowledge in multiple fields.

Sagar joined Mueller Lab in January 2022. Now, Sagar focuses on unraveling the role of CLE-CLAVATA signaling during arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, contributing to our understanding of plant-microbe interactions at a molecular level.

Outside of the lab, Sagar enjoys soccer, food, gardening, and hiking (if not sleeping).

Mikayla Kappes received her BA degree in Biology and Spanish from Williams College. While at Williams, she worked as a student researcher studying eco-evolutionary dynamics through Trinidadian guppies, and she did a thesis documenting pollination network interactions in New England. Before returning for her final year of undergrad, Kappes worked in horticulture developing Sonoran Desert gardens in Baja California Sur. While in Baja, she fell in love with working with plants. Kappes began at Salk joining the Busch lab in the fall of ’22 as part of the greenhouse phenotyping team working with all HPI’s crops of interest. In the spring of ‘24, Kappes joined the Mueller lab where she is super excited to dive into studying the molecular mechanisms behind arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis. In her free time, Mikayla loves exploring new ways to be active and outside, spending time with her family, friends, and dogs, playing soccer, studying languages, beach time, and all things music related (especially dancing and singing)!

I am Athira and I joined the Mueller lab as a postdoctoral fellow in October 2024. My research interest and background are in beneficial plant-microbe interactions and symbiosis. I obtained my Ph.D. in Plant Sciences in August 2024 from South Dakota State University, Brookings, USA. My dissertation was on Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in soybean, wherein I worked towards understanding the molecular pathways in legume hosts associated with competitive root colonization by different nitrogen-fixing bacterial strains (rhizobia) and symbiotic partner sanctions. At the Mueller lab, I am working on understanding the molecular mechanisms of symbiont preference during Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis using Medicago truncatula as a model. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in microbiology and genetics from Osmania University, India, and master’s degree in plant biology and biotechnology from the University of Hyderabad, India. My master’s research was also in the area of plant-microbe interaction in legumes, where I worked on identifying plant resistance in different pea germplasm lines to a fungal pathogen (powdery mildew causing Erysiphe pisi). Before obtaining my doctorate, I also worked as a research assistant for a year at the Repository of Tomato Genomics Resources (RTGR), University of Hyderabad. In my free time, I like to explore new places, take walks, read novels, and watch movies or series. I am also passionate about music and singing.