In the past 10 years my research focus has changed. Previously, I have been involved in research on the molecular biology, population genetics and other aspects of fungi that are pathogens of insects.  However, it was recently discovered that several of these fungi that are insect pathogens are also endophytes. They reside within plants and provide plants with several benefits. My current research interests revolve around the benefits to the plant with these symbiotic associations, nutrient exchange between plant and fungus, analyzing genes that allow for endophytic association and plant responses (including immune responses) to endophytic colonization.

1989 Ph.D. (Applied Microbiology), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.

1985 M.Sc. (Biology) University of Regina, Regina, SK

1981 B.Sc. Hon. (Biology) Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario.

Behie,S.W., Moreira^. C.C., Sementchoukova, I, Larissa Barelli, L., Paul M. Zelisko, P.M, and Bidochka, M.J. 2017^. Carbon translocation from a plant to an insect pathogenic, endophytic fungus. Nature Comm. 8:14245.

Barelli, L., Moonjely, S., Behie, S. & Bidochka, M. J. 2016. Fungi with multifunctional lifestyles: endophytic insect pathogenic fungi. Plant Molecular Biology 90: 657-664.

Moonjely, S., Barelli, L., & Bidochka, M. J. 2016. Insect Pathogenic Fungi as Endophytes. In B. Lovett & R. J. St Leger (Eds.), Genetics and Molecular Biology of Entomopathogenic Fungi (pp. 107–135).

Steinwender, B.M., Enkerli, J., Widmer, F.,Eilenberg, J., Kristensen, H.L., Bidochka, M.J., Nicolai V. Meyling, N.V. 2015. Root isolations of Metarhizium spp. from crops reflect diversity in the soil and indicate no plant specificity. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 132: 142-148.

Casique-Valdes, R., Sanchez-Lara, B.M., Julio Ek-Maas, J., Hernandez-Guerra, C., Bidochka, M., Guizar-Guzman, L., Lopez-Arroyo, J.I., Sanchez-Pena, S.R. 2015. Field trial of aqueous and emulsion preparations of entomopathogenic fungi against the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in Lime Orchard in Mexico. Journal of Entomological Science 50: 79-87.

Behie, S., Jones, S.J.  and Bidochka, M.J. 2015 Plant tissue localization of the endophytic insect pathogenic fungi Metarhizium and Beauveria. Fungal Ecology 13: 112-119.

Behie, S. and Bidochka, M.J. 2014. Nutrient transfer in plant-fungal symbioses. Trends in Plant Science 19: 734- 740.

Behie, S. and Bidochka, M.J. 2014. An additional branch of the soil nitrogen cycle: Ubiquity of insect-derived nitrogen transfer to plants by endophytic insect pathogenic fungi. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 80: 1553-1560.  doi: 10.1128/AEM.03338-13

Behie, S. and Bidochka, M.J. 2013. Insects as a nitrogen source for plants. Insects  4, 413-424.

Sasan, R.K. and Bidochka, M.J. 2013. Antagonism of the endophytic insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii against the bean plant pathogen Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseolis. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 35: 288-293.

Behie, S. and Bidochka, M.J. 2013. Potential agricultural benefits through biotechnological manipulation of plant fungal associations. BioEssays 35: 328–331.

Behie, S., Padilla-Guerrero, I.E. and Bidochka, M.J. 2013 Nutrient transfer to plants by phylogenetically diverse fungi suggests convergent evolutionary strategies in rhizospheric symbionts. Communicative and Integrative Biology 6: 1-4.

Wyrebek, M., and Bidochka, M.J. 2013. Variability in the insect and plant adhesins, Mad1 and Mad2, within the fungal genus Metarhizium suggest plant adaptation as an evolutionary force. PlosOne Volume 8 , Issue 3  e59357

Behie, S., Zelisko, P.M. and Bidochka, M.J. 2012. Endophytic-insect parasitic fungi translocate nitrogen directly from insects to plants. Science 336: 1576-1577.

Sasan, R.K. and Bidochka, M.J. 2012. The insect-pathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii  (Clavicipitaceae) is also an endophyte that stimulates plant root development. American Journal of Botany 99: 101-107.

Hu, S. Ph.D (in progress). Plant immune responses to the fungal endophytic fungus, Metarhizium. Brock Unversity.

Orton, M. B.Sc. (hons) (2016). Fungal endophytes associated with Niagara grape varieties. Brock University.

Mounjely, S. Ph.D. (in progress). Analysis of mutants of an endophytic insect pathogenic fungus and effects on plant endophytism. Brock University.

Barelli, L. Ph.D. (in progress). Endophytic insect pathogenic fungus and plant health. Brock University.

Jones, S. B.Sc. (hons) 2013. Ecological partitioning of endophytic insect pathogenic fungi in plants. Brock University.

Behie, S. Ph.D. (2016 N). Nitrogen translocation by an endophytic/insect pathogenic fungus. Brock University.