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Mid-Florida Research & Education Center

Mid-Florida Research & Education Center

Dr. Ana Maria Bocsanczy

Assistant Research Scientist

Photo of Dr. Ana Maria Bocsanczy

Contact Ana Maria:

Email: anamariab@ufl.edu

Phone: 407-410-6952

Dr. Ana Maria Bocsanczy is an assistant research scientist in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida. Bocsanczy is a problem-solver and molecular biologist who has dedicated her career to understanding interactions between plants and disease. Bocsanczy’s research aims to understand the molecular aspects of the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum, the causal agent of the tropical plant disease bacterial wilt and one of the most destructive bacterial plant pathogens in the world. Ralstonia solanacearum causes disease outbreak on a wide range of Florida-grown plants, including tomato, blueberry, geranium, potato, peppers as well as other landscape, ornamental and crop plants. Bocsanczy uses bioinformatics and DNA sequences to investigate disease impact at high and low temperatures, why different strains of R. solanacearum cause disease to different plant species, why some plants are resistant while others are not, as well as to identify bacterial plant pathogens. Her current research includes the design and test of a digital probe (E-probe Diagnostic Nucleic-Acid Analysis, EDNA) to identify R. solanacearum strains that infect specifically blueberry, genomic studies to understand why some strains of R. solanacearum can infect blueberry and rose plants (new hosts) and genomic studies to identify the resistance sources in resistant species of blueberry.

Area of Expertise: Molecular plant pathology

Research Interests: Genomics of plant-microbe interactions

  • Publications

    Publications

    • Norman, D. J., Yuen, J. M. F., and Bocsanczy, A. M. (2020) Threat of brown rot of potato and existing resistance American Journal of Potato Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09775-3
    • Krasnow, C., Bocsanczy, A. M., Bloomcamp, L., and Norman, D.J. (2020) First report of poinsettia wilt caused by Amphobotrys ricini (syn. Botryotinia ricini) in Florida. Plant Disease https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-20-0891-PDN
    • Conner, C., Khan, , Bocsanczy, A. M., Spakes-Richter, B., and Norman, D. J. (2019) First Report of Bacterial Spot caused by Robbsia andropogonis in Loropetalum chinense. Plant Disease 103(9): 2153 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-18-1929-PDN
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Espindola, A. S., Harmon, C.L., Cardwell, K., and Norman, D.J. (2019) Whole-genome sequences of Ralstonia solanacearum strains P816, P822, and P824, emerging pathogens of blueberry in Florida. Microbiol. Resour. Announc. 8(3) e01316-18
    • Norman, D. J., Bocsanczy, A.M., Harmon, P., Harmon, C. L., and Khan, A. (2018) First report of Bacterial Wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum on blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) in Florida. Plant Dis. 102(2):438
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Huguet-Tapia, J. C., and Norman D.J. (2017) Comparative genomics of Ralstonia solanacearum identifies candidate genes associated with cool virulence. Front. Plant Sci. 8:1565
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Phillips, J.G., Korban, S.S., Dardick, C.D., Bassett, C.L., Wisniewski, M.E., and Norelli, J.L. (2011) Apple (Malus x domestica) transcriptome in response to the compatible pathogen Erwinia amylovora and the incompatible pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Acta Hort.(ISHS) 896:237-241
    • Weibel, J., Tran, T. M., Bocsanczy, A. M., Daughtrey, M., Norman, D. J., Mejia, L., and Allen, C. (2016). A Ralstonia solanacearum strain from Guatemala infects diverse flower crops, including new asymptomatic hosts Vinca and Sutera, and causes symptoms in Geranium, Mandevilla vine, and a new host African daisy (Osteospermum ecklonis). Plant Health Progress 17(2):114 doi: 10.1094/PHP-RS-16-0001
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Achenbach, U. C. M., Mangravita-Novo, A., Chow, M., and Norman, D. J. (2014). Proteomic comparison of Ralstonia solanacearum strains reveals temperature dependent virulence factors. BMC genomics 15(1): 280. Doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-280
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Huguet-Tapia, J. C., and Norman, D. J. (2014). Whole-genome sequence of Ralstonia solanacearum P673, a strain capable of infecting tomato plants at low temperatures. Genome announcements 2(1): e00106-14. Doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00106-14
    • Bocsanczy, A. M, Achenbach, U. C. M., Mangravita-Novo, A., Yuen, J. M. F., and Norman, D. J. (2012). Comparative effect of low temperature on virulence and twitching motility of Ralstonia solanacearum strains present in Florida. Phytopathology 102(2):185-194.
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Schneider,D. J., DeClerck, G. A., Cartinhour, S. and Beer, S.V.  (2012). HopX1 in Erwinia amylovora functions as an avirulence protein in apple and is regulated by HrpL. J. of Bacteriology 194(3):553-560.
    • Sebaihia, , Bocsanczy, A. M., Biehl, B.S., Quail, M.A., Perna, N.T., Glasner, J. D., DeClerck, G. A., Cartinhour, S., Schneider, D.J., Bentley, S. D., Parkhill, J., and Beer, S. V. (2010). Complete Genome Sequence of the Plant Pathogen Erwinia amylovora Strain ATCC 49946. J. of Bacteriology 192:2020-2021.
    • Bocsanczy, A. M., Nissinen, R.M., Oh, C-S., and Beer, S.V. (2008). HrpN of Erwinia amylovora functions in the translocation of DspA/E into plant cells. Molecular Plant Pathology 9 (4), 425-434. 
  • Education

    • Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Cornell University, 2008

    • B.S., Biology, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 2001

    • M.S., Power Systems, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 1982

    • B.S., Electrical Engineering, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 1977