Mailing Address

Danielle Stevens, Coaker Lab

580 Hutchison Hall

University of California, Davis

95616 Davis, CA

Email Address

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A non-traditional start.

I was introduced to plant pathology working for Dr. Jeff Chang in the Botany and Plant Pathology Department at Oregon State. Admittedly, the introduction was by accident. During my undergraduate, I worked toward a degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics thinking I would work in the medical field.

During this time, I was mentored by many amazing graduate students and postdocs as I worked toward characterizing virulence genes in the Gram-positive actinobacterial pathogen, Rhodococcus fascians. There, I slowly fell in love with bacterial pathogens, particularly Gram-positive plant-associated actinobacteria.

Celebrating Undergraduate Excellence Symposium in 2018.

Celebrating Undergraduate Excellence Symposium in 2018.

Eventually, I decided to do work abroad and with a little help, I was offered the opportunity to work at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology for Dr. Eva Stukenbrock in Ploen, Germany. At the time, I had only been outside the U.S. once as a kid. While three months is not long, it was one of the most influential experiences of my life.

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology.

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology.

I feel very blessed to have met so great people along the way who are both my mentors, colleagues, and dear friends. I knew that despite my initial reluctance, I was on the right path. After graduate school interviews, I ended up at UC Davis to join the Coaker lab with the goal of working on bacteria of the Clavibacter genus, another Gram-positive actinobacterial pathogen. Now, I use my broad training to tackle major questions regarding Gram-positive bacterial pathogens and plant innate immunity.

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 2019 International Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 2019 International Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

If you want to know more about my current projects, check out the research tab of this website.

I am plan to run my own lab and mentor students one day, inspiring them to uncover the black box of nature and themselves in the process, just as my many mentors have done for me.


Fun Facts

Delicate arch in Utah, USA.

Delicate arch in Utah, USA.