Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Chemical Engineering
Carl McCombe
Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Chemical Engineering
Profile
Pioneer Fellow 2025
Carl's research focuses on interactions between plants and microbes. During his PhD at The Australian National University, Carl studied enzymes used by fungi to manipulate plants and cause disease. His work uncovered new infection strategies used by major crop pathogens. In the Demirer Lab at Caltech, Carl is investigating how plants control their microbiome and recruit beneficial bacteria to help access nutrients in the soil. He is interested in developing microbiome engineering strategies that improve crop health and promote agricultural sustainability.
