Meet the Geminivirus Scene Investigators (GSI)
published: Thursday | March 9, 2006

GSI research team at the Biotechnology Centre at UWI. From left: Dr Marcia Roye (team leader), Andre Graham, Cheryl Stewart, Melessa Brown and Aneisha Collins. Other members include Dr Wayne McLaughlin, Pamela McLaughlin, Icolyn Amarakoon and Darshan Young.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

THE GEMINIVIRUS research group, now led by Dr. Marcia Roye, has been in existence since 1992. The general aim of the group has been to identify the geminiviruses infecting local plants, particularly crops, as a first step towards controlling their destructive effects. The interest of the research group has been extended to include two new areas; investigating the interactions of geminiviruses in mixed infections and identifying viral genes that determine infectivity. This information will greatly assist in the development of strategies for the control of these destructive viruses.

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS

Geminiviruses have emerged as a major constraint on agriculture throughout the world and much work is being done to identify and understand their behaviour. Our local geminivirus research group is a part of the global geminivirus research network and we have done much collaborative work with other international institutions such as the International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB), the University of Wisconsin in the United States, the John Innes Research Centre in the United Kingdom and the Hebrew University in Israel.