Martin John Egan

Affiliation confirmed via AI analysis of OpenAlex, ORCID, and web sources.

Federal Grant PI

Associate Professor

University of Arkansas

Also affiliated: Harvard University (2011–2016); University of Exeter (2004–2011); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999–2000); University of Arkansas System (2020–2026); Merrimack College (2026); University of Greenwich (1999)

15 h-index 33 pubs 2,169 cited

Research Areas

Biomedical Subjects

Links

ORCID Lab Website

OverviewAI-generated summary

Martin J. Egan's research investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-pathogenic fungi, with a particular focus on the blast fungus *Magnaporthe oryzae*. His work examines cellular processes such as F-actin dynamics, septin remodeling, and microtubule organization, which are critical for fungal growth, spore development, and plant invasion. Egan has published studies on the role of specific proteins, like Tea4, in regulating hyphal branching and appressorium morphogenesis, as well as the cell cycle-dependent localization of dynein in *Aspergillus nidulans*.

Egan is the Principal Investigator on a National Science Foundation CAREER grant totaling $943,941, which aims to dissect the molecular regulation of septin-mediated plant invasion by *Magnaporthe oryzae*. His research group utilizes advanced imaging techniques, including 4D widefield fluorescence microscopy, and has explored crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth on microfluidic platforms. Collaborations include work with Audra Mae Rogers, Rachel A. Taylor, Rohana Liyanage, and Yong Wang at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Metrics

h-index: 15
Publications: 33
Citations: 2,169

Positions

Associate Professor 2025–present

Merrimack College Natural Sciences ORCID
Associate Professor 2022–present

University of Arkansas UADA | ENPL | Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology ORCID
Assistant Professor 2016–present

University of Arkansas Fayetteville Plant Pathology ORCID

Selected Publications

Synchronous spatiotemporal control of autophagy and organelle trafficking is necessary for infection by Magnaporthe oryzae (2026)

Cell Reports DOI OpenAlex
Stress-induced nucleolar rejuvenation via chaperone-mediated segregation in a filamentous fungus (2026)

The Journal of Cell Biology 1 citation DOI OpenAlex
Synchronous spatio-temporal control of autophagy and organelle trafficking is necessary for appressorium-mediated plant infection by Magnaporthe oryzae (2025)

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) DOI OpenAlex
Septum-associated microtubule organizing centers within conidia support infectious development by the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (2022)

Fungal Genetics and Biology 6 citations DOI OpenAlex
Crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth and branching on microfluidic platforms (2021)

PLoS ONE 17 citations DOI OpenAlex
The spindle pole-body localization of activated cytoplasmic dynein is cell cycle-dependent in Aspergillus nidulans (2021)

Fungal Genetics and Biology 10 citations DOI OpenAlex
Turgor-dependent and coronin-mediated F-actin dynamics drive septin disc-to-ring remodeling in the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (2021)

Journal of Cell Science 38 citations DOI OpenAlex
Autophagy machinery promotes the chaperone-mediated formation and compartmentalization of protein aggregates during appressorium development by the rice blast fungus (2020)

Molecular Biology of the Cell 8 citations DOI OpenAlex
Long‐distance early endosome motility in Aspergillus fumigatus promotes normal hyphal growth behaviors in controlled microenvironments but is dispensable for virulence (2020)

Traffic 5 citations DOI OpenAlex
Dynamic assembly of a higher-order septin structure during appressorium morphogenesis by the rice blast fungus (2020)

Fungal Genetics and Biology 31 citations DOI OpenAlex
Dissecting the Cellular Control of Septin Organization in a Global Cereal Killer (2020)

The FASEB Journal DOI OpenAlex