Skip to main content
UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences logo
Give      University of Florida
Resources
    Toggle Search Form
    GIVE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
    • HOME
    • About Us
    • People
          • Faculty
          • Emeritus Faculty
          • Staff
          • Postdoctoral Researchers
          • Graduate Students
    • Teaching
          • Geomatics
          • Housing at MREC
          • Resources for Students
          • College of Life and Agricultural Sciences
    • Research
          • Entomology and Nematology
          • Environmental Horticulture
          • Food and Resource Economics
          • Plant Pathology
    • Extension
          • About the Plant Clinic
          • Commercial Plant Production & Diagnostic Clinic
          • Homeowner Plant Diagnostic Clinic
          • Water Resources
          • Find Your Extension Office
          • Pest Management University (PMU)
          • Ask IFAS (EDIS)
          • UF/IFAS Blog
          • Florida Friendly Landscapes
          • Gardening Solutions
    • Resources
          • Affiliated Departments
          • Employment Opportunities
          • Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN)
          • MREC Room Reservation Form
          • Phantasma Scale
          • Weed Identification by Flower Color
          • Lab Safety
          • State Vehicles

    Mid-Florida Research and Education Center

    Mid-Florida Research and Education Center

    Dr. Ana Maria Bocsanczy

    Assistant Research Scientist


    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

    Headshot of Ana Maria Bocsanczy.


    Contact

    Email: anamariab@ufl.edu

    Phone: 407-410-6952

    • 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

    • Publications
      • View Dr. Bocsanczy's publications
    University of Florida Logo
    Contact

    Feedback
    UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center
    2725 S. Binion Road Apopka, FL 32703
    (407) 884-2034

    Land Grant Mission
    • Teaching
    • Research
    • Extension
    Information
    • Ask IFAS (EDIS)
    • UF/IFAS Experts
    • UF/IFAS Blogs
    • UF/IFAS Bookstore
    Policy
    • Accessible UF
    • EEO Statement
    • IFAS Web Policy
    • SSN & UF Privacy
    • Analytics (Google Privacy)

    © 2025 University of Florida, IFAS Last Modified:Tue, 25 Feb 2025 12:05:54 EST