Anita Paneru

Biography

I was born in the plains of Nepal and completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. During my undergraduate studies, I worked on screening wheat varieties for resistance to spot blotch disease. For my master’s thesis, I investigated the biocontrol of economically important rice pathogens using native Trichoderma species. I joined Washington State University in the Fall 2022, under the supervision of Dr. Maren Friesen. My research focuses on exploring plant-soil microbiome interactions in wheat and their functional roles, using molecular, synthetic community, and electrochemical approaches. I am excited about developing the skills and research experience that will shape my future career as a plant pathologist.