Marlise Franke Snyder

Thompson Run Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

B.A., 1988, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina,
Florianopolis, Brazil
M.S., 1994, Environmental Science, West Virginia University

Thesis title: "Relationships among species and isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi based on morphology, ontogeny, and plant-fungus interactions"

Marlise separated her research time at West Virginia University into two very different projects. The first was to carry out the developmental studies that provided the initial data and methods for all subsequent comparisons among taxa in all genera. Her results provided the foundation for a developmental model of Glomales that is near completion. The second was to help conduct local experiments that were part of a larger regional project to define stability of growth benefits of selective glomalean fungal isolates on different hosts growing in geograpically separated greenhouses.

After completing her degree, Marlise immediately went to work as a Research Technician for Dr. Sara Wright at the USDA-ARS Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. She worked there for two years in helping Sara to characterize a glycoprotein coating the hyphae of glomalean fungi and assaying the "glomalin" using fluorescent-antibody techniques.

Then, she went on work with David Doud, Jr. at USDA-ARS-ERRC (Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania), where research is being carried out in plots with low inputs to examine changes in species of arbuscular fungi with treatments. She also is responsible for establishing, identifying and maintaining cultures of fungi indigenous to these plots.

She then moved to Pittsburgh with her husband and is raising a small family (one daughter so far).