Martin J. Egan Data-verified

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

Federal Grant PI

Assistant Professor

Last publication 2026 Last refreshed 2026-05-22

faculty

15 h-index 34 pubs 2,120 cited

Biography and Research Information

OverviewAI-generated summary

Martin J. Egan's research investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-fungal interactions, with a particular focus on the blast fungus *Magnaporthe oryzae*. His work examines how fungal cells, including their transport systems and structural components like microtubules and septins, contribute to infection processes. This includes studying the spatial regulation of hyphal branching and the formation of specialized infection structures known as appressoria.

Egan's laboratory also explores fundamental aspects of fungal cell biology, drawing comparisons with other model fungi such as *Aspergillus nidulans*. His studies have investigated the cell cycle-dependent localization of key proteins like cytoplasmic dynein and the role of cellular processes such as SUMOylation in maintaining chromosome segregation. He has received a $943,941 NSF CAREER award to dissect the regulation of septin-mediated plant invasion by *Magnaporthe oryzae*.

His research employs advanced imaging techniques, including 4D widefield fluorescence imaging, and microfluidic platforms to observe dynamic cellular processes. Egan collaborates with researchers at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, including Rohana Liyanage, Rinalda Proko, and Venkata Rao Krishnamurthi. His scholarship metrics include an h-index of 15, 34 total publications, and 2,090 total citations.

Metrics

  • h-index: 15
  • Publications: 34
  • Citations: 2,120

Selected Publications

  • Stress-induced nucleolar rejuvenation via chaperone-mediated segregation in a filamentous fungus (2026)
  • Synchronous spatio-temporal control of autophagy and organelle trafficking is necessary for appressorium-mediated plant infection by <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i> (2025)
  • Septum-associated microtubule organizing centers within conidia support infectious development by the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (2022)
    5 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth and branching on microfluidic platforms (2021)
    16 citations DOI OpenAlex
  • Turgor-dependent and coronin-mediated F-actin dynamics drive septin disc-to-ring remodeling in the blast fungus <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i> (2021)
    33 citations DOI OpenAlex

View all publications on OpenAlex →

Federal Grants 1 $943,941 total

NSF PI Jul 2022 - Mar 2026

CAREER: Dissecting the Molecular Regulation of Septin-Mediated Plant Invasion by the Blast Fungus Magnaporthe Oryzae

Plant-Biotic Interactions, Cross-BIO Activities $943,941

Collaboration Network

43 Collaborators 18 Institutions 6 Countries

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