Kranthi Mandadi

Kranthi Mandadi, Ph.D., is a professor in the Dept. of Pathology and Microbiology located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Weslaco. His research focuses on fastidious plant-pathogen interactions and biotechnology. He published over 70 peer-reviewed research articles in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications, Plant Cell, Plant Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, and mBio. His work is widely cited, with over 2800 citations, and covered by 60 popular press articles. Mandadi successfully obtained research grants totaling $48 M ($8.5 M to his program) from various funding sources. He supervised and mentored over 30 undergraduates, served as a chair, co-chair, or committee member of 10 graduate students, and advised seven postdoctoral research associates and five research scientists. He is an associate editor for Phytopathology, Frontiers in Microbiology and has served in various professional leadership and governance positions at the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), the Texas Plant Protection Association (TPPA), the American Phytopathological Society (APS). He was also the recipient of the 2024 APS Syngenta Award and the 2017 FFAR New Innovator in Food and Agricultural Research Award.