Team

Ming-Yi Chou, Ph.D.

Ming-Yi Chou is an Assistant Extension Specialist and Professor in Turfgrass Pathology in the department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University. He completed his Ph.D. in Horticultural Biology at Cornell University in 2018 and joined Rutgers in April 2023. His extension program focuses on evaluating and developing efficient cool-season turfgrass disease management measures. He currently directs the largest turfgrass disease control product evaluation program of its kind in the U.S. His research efforts center on plant-soil-microbiome interactions in turfgrass and how to alleviate disease pressure by cultivating the beneficial microbiome. In addition, he is a bunny dad and meditation practitioner.

Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Lab

Rutgers PDL is operated by Director Richard Buckley and Diagnostician Sabrina Tirpak, who have a combined 50+ years of experience in turfgrass disease diagnosis. As the top collaborators with the Chou lab, they provide classic disease diagnostic support and serve as the frontline of turfgrass disease scouting for the Northeast and beyond. Rich and Sabrina are also well-loved speakers on topics regarding pest diagnostics and management in turf, ornamentals, and trees.

Kyle Genova

Kyle Genova is the lead Laboratory Researcher who manages the fungicide efficacy trials. Kyle received his BS in Plant Science, Horticulture and Turf Industry, from Rutgers University in 2014. Following his graduation in 2014, Kyle worked for FMC Corporation in their Research and Innovation Center in Ewing, N.J. before returning to Rutgers University to pursue his advanced degree.

Chase Bauberger

I’m Chase Bauberger, and I am a Junior Laboratory Researcher and currently a Master’s student in the Chou Lab. I study ectotrophic root-infecting fungi and emerging pathogens. When I am not in the lab, I enjoy getting together with my friends and traveling to warm places, and I’m always looking for new and tasty foods to try. When I want to relax, I like to play video games or read.

Leandro Lopes Da Silva, Ph.D.

Leandro is a Post-Doctoral Associate in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University. He earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Microbiology from the Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa), Brazil. His research interests include fungal genetics, genomics, and plant-pathogen interactions. Leandro joined the Chou Lab in May 2025, where his work focuses on the molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance in Clarireedia jacksonii. He is also developing digital PCR (dPCR) assays to detect fungicide resistance in field samples, aiming to support effective monitoring and management of dollar spot disease. When he’s not in the lab, he enjoys going to the movies and discovering new coffee shops.

Salma Mukhtar, Ph.D.

Salma Mukhtar is a Post-Doctoral Associate at the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University. She holds a PhD in Microbial Biotechnology from Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan. She also worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Her research focuses on supporting the development of resilient and sustainable agricultural production systems that are ecologically and socially acceptable. Her research involves plant-microbe interactions including both pathogenic and plant beneficial microbes. Her current research project is related to microbiome analysis of disease-suppressive soil of turfgrass and microbes associated with hyphae of Clarireedia jacksonii pathogen, antagonism assays, metabolite extraction, and phenotyping on microbial isolates to characterize their roles in disease suppressive soil. She also works on turfgrass fungal pathogen quantification using digital PCR.

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ResearchGate
@SalmaMukhtar04

Pratibha Shara, Ph.D.

Pratibha Sharma is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University. She earned her PhD in Plant Pathology from Cornell University, New York, in May 2025. Her research interests include population biology, microbial ecology, and integrated management of fungal diseases. Pratibha joined the Chou Lab in August 2025, where she is working on multiple research foci, including molecular diagnosis of turf pathogens using digital PCR and microbiome profiling, and identifying virulence factors and molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance in Clarireedia jacksonii. Her work aims to develop decision support tools that improve disease diagnosis, monitoring, and sustainable management of turfgrass diseases. Beyond research, she enjoys hiking, watching anime, and trying new restaurants.

Chen Yin (Jenny) Liu

Chen-Yin (Jenny) Liu, got her BS from the Department of Agronomy at National Taiwan University, is currently a PhD student in Plant Biology at Rutgers University. Her research interests are turfgrass-microbiome interactions, and biological agents and synthetic fungicides compatibility. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and hiking when not in the lab.

Adrian Valdes

My name is Adrian Valdes. I am a senior at Rutgers University specializing in Plant Science with a concentration in Turfgrass Studies. My academic and professional interests lie in the applications of turfgrass management and pathology. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, playing guitar, and playing tennis.

Grace Zhang

I’m a senior in Biological Sciences at Rutgers University. Since joining Chou’s lab in the summer of 2025, I’ve contributed to field trials applying fungicides and to laboratory assays that quantify fungal pathogenicity. My interests include plant–pathogen interactions, disease management strategies, and connecting field observations to actionable control practices. Outside of research, I enjoyed traveling simply because I love learning from different cultures and conversations. Also, I am a big-time yapper and drink boba every single day.

Aleks Gultekinoglu

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Patrick Fardella, Ph.D.

Patrick Fardella received his Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Rutgers University in 2023 and joined the Chou lab until his departure for Quorum Bio as an Associate Scientist in 2025.

Pingyuan (Bay) Zhang, Ph.D.

Pingyuan (Bay) Zhang joined the Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University in May 2018 and graduated in June 2024. During his time at Rutgers, he collaborated with Ming-Yi on various research and extension projects focused on the best management practices of major cool-season turfgrass diseases. After graduation, Bay began his career as a plant disease management biologist specializing in turf and ornamental plants with Environmental Science USA (Envu). Observing the treatment effect is one of Bay’s greatest passions. In addition to that, Bay likes cooking; and for the purpose of weight management, he has to like hiking, biking and jogging. May the grass be greener! Cheers!
@PingyuanZ

Jeremy Rys (summer intern 2023)

My name is Jeremy Rys, and I am dedicated to the field of Plant Science, with a specialized focus on Turfgrass Studies. Beyond my academic pursuits, I am passionate about golf, yoga, and hiking, which align with my interest in the natural environment. These pursuits not only complement my academic focus but also strengthen my dedication to advancing sustainable practices within the natural environment.
@JeremyRys91741

Parth Sharma (summer intern 2023)

My name is Parth Sharma and I am a senior undergraduate at Rutgers University. My major is Microbiology and my minor is computer science. In addition to all my classes, I also spend my time as a tutor with the Writing Centers and serve on the Executive Board for Phi Delta Epsilon, the pre-medical co-ed fraternity on campus. In my personal time, I love to spend my time outdoors hiking and camping. I also enjoy baking food such as bread and cookies.