Merissa Washalaski Email & Phone Number

Perform diagnostic work on diseased plant samples sent from around the country/world.Assist with execution of plant disease related experiments.

Supported breeding programs by executing small and large scale disease resistance screens in greenhouse for fungal, bacterial, viral, and nematode pathogens of solanum and cucurbit cropsScheduling, sowing of plants, pathogen culture under aseptic conditions, inoculation, and scoring disease responseIsolation and storage of fungal culturesSupported the phytosanitary program by assisting with field and greenhouse sample collection and ELISA testingSupported R&D with RNA and DNA… Show more Supported breeding programs by executing small and large scale disease resistance screens in greenhouse for fungal, bacterial, viral, and nematode pathogens of solanum and cucurbit cropsScheduling, sowing of plants, pathogen culture under aseptic conditions, inoculation, and scoring disease responseIsolation and storage of fungal culturesSupported the phytosanitary program by assisting with field and greenhouse sample collection and ELISA testingSupported R&D with RNA and DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, disease diagnostics, and other assistance as neededDevelopment/revision of standard operating proceduresMaintain laboratory equipment and facilities Show less

Internship: Screening potatoes for resistance to tuber rot caused by Sclerotium/Athelia rolfsii.Co-mentors: Drs. Swett and McCagheyLab meeting presentation on internship progress.Fungal inoculation of tubers, data collection, data analysis and visualization.

Performed lab tasks such as media preparation, autoclaving materials, running soil sample assays, data collection, washing glassware, seed and fungal structure sample surface sterilization.

Processed leaf samples from a plant breeding study on water stress tolerance in tomatoes.

MESA (Math Engineering Science Achievement) is an academic support program for STEM majors in CA. Responsibilities were to open the center in the mornings, schedule appointments for educational counseling, perform administrative duties and create flyers for events. Participated in the Leadership Committee which makes decisions about how the center runs and areas of the budget.

Participated in a NIH funded fellowship, Bridges to Baccalaureate, that offers the opportunity for local community college students to work in Berkeley research labs for the summer. Was given my own research project. Focus of research was microbiome-mediated disease protection in tomato plants. Learned a multitude of techniques and lab etiquette. Learned to quantify bacterial samples, culture, and inoculate for experiments. Learned how to use ddPCR. Developed skills associated with reading… Show more Participated in a NIH funded fellowship, Bridges to Baccalaureate, that offers the opportunity for local community college students to work in Berkeley research labs for the summer. Was given my own research project. Focus of research was microbiome-mediated disease protection in tomato plants. Learned a multitude of techniques and lab etiquette. Learned to quantify bacterial samples, culture, and inoculate for experiments. Learned how to use ddPCR. Developed skills associated with reading research papers. Created a research poster based on results of project for conference poster sessions. Show less

Palo Alto, Ca

Fremont, Ca

Novato, Ca

Santa Rosa, Ca

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Plant Sciences

Associate Of Arts - Aa, Botany/Plant Biology