Research Interests

I am a phytopathologist with a strong background in pathogen biology and plant-beneficial bacteria. I am interested in how plant-beneficial rhizobacteria can be used to protect our crop plants against pathogens and pests. To use plant-beneficial bacteria in agriculture, we have to understand their ecology. Therefore, I am interested in understanding the mechanisms of interactions of rhizosphere bacteria, especially fluorescent Pseudomonas, with different hosts, plant-pathogenic microbes, and the environment.

Educational and Professional Experience

Since 2022: Research associate, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland 

2019-2022: Senior Scientist, Crop Protection – Phytopathology, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Frick, Switzerland 

2016-2018: Postdoctoral researcher, ETH Zurich and University of Lausanne, Switzerland 

2016: PhD in Phytopathology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Publications

• Boutry C., Bohr A., Buchleither S., Ludwig M., Oberhänsli T., Schärer H.J.*, & Flury P*. Monitoring spore dispersal and early infections of Diplocarpon coronariae causing apple blotch using selected spore traps and a new qPCR method. Phytopathology, published online 29 September 2022.https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-05-22-0183-R
• Pronk L., Keel C., Bakker P., Maurhofer M., & Flury P. (2022) The secret life of plant-beneficial rhizosphere bacteria: insects as alternative hosts. Environ Microbiol: 24: 3273-3289
• Thanner, S. (Host). Flury P., Strauss S., Szalatney D. (Guests). (2022, April 15). Marssonina Blattfallkrankheit – Gefahr für den Apfelbaum [Audio podcast episode]. In FiBL Focus Praxis.
• Vesga P., Flury P., Vacheron J., Keel C., Croll D., & Maurhofer M. (2020) Transcriptome plasticity underlying plant root colonization and insect invasion by Pseudomonas protegens. ISME J: 14: 2766-2782
• Flury P.*, Vesga P.*, Dominguez-Ferreras A., Tinguely C., Ulrich C., Kleespies R., Keel C., & Maurhofer M. (2019) Persistence of root-colonizing Pseudomonas protegens in herbivorous insects throughout different developmental stages and dispersal to new host plants. ISME J 13:860–872
• Flury P., Vesga P., Péchy-Tarr M., Aellen N., Dennert F., Hofer N., Kupferschmied K., Kupferschmied P., Metla Z., Ma Z., Siegfried S., de Weert S., Bloemberg G., Höfte M., Keel C., & Maurhofer M. (2017). Antimicrobial and insecticidal: cyclic lipopeptides and hydrogen cyanide produced by plant-beneficial Pseudomonas strains CHA0, CMR12a and PCL1391 contribute to insect killing. Front Microbiol 8:100. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00100.
• Flury P. (2016). Genomics, molecular mechanisms and ecology of interactions of plant-beneficial pseudomonads with pest insects. Doctoral Thesis, ETH Zurich, Zurich
• Klauser D., Flury P., Boller T., & Bartels S. (2016). Looking BAK again: Is an old acquaintance of innate immunity involved in the detection of herbivores. Plant signaling & behavior 11: e1252014.
• Kupferschmied P., Chai T., Flury P., Blom J., Smits T. H., Maurhofer M., & Keel C. (2016). Specific surface glycan decorations enable antimicrobial peptide resistance in plant-beneficial pseudomonads with insect-pathogenic properties. Environ Microbiol 18: 4265–4281
• Flury P., Aellen N., Ruffner B., Pechy-Tarr M., Fataar S., Metla Z., Dominguez-Ferreras A., Bloemberg G., Frey J., Goesmann A., Raaijmakers J.M., Duffy B., Höfte M., Blom J., Smits T.H., Keel C., & Maurhofer M.  (2016). Insect pathogenicity in plant-beneficial pseudomonads: phylogenetic distribution and comparative genomics. ISME J 10: 2527-2542.
• Klauser D., Desurmont G. A., Glauser G., Vallat A., Flury P., Boller T., Turlings T.C.J., & Bartels S. (2015). The Arabidopsis Pep-PEPR system is induced by herbivore feeding and contributes to JA-mediated plant defence against herbivory. J Exp Bot 66: 5327-5336.
• Lori M., van Verk M. C., Hander T., Schatowitz H., Klauser D., Flury P., Gehring C., Boller T., & Bartels S. (2015). Evolutionary divergence of the plant elicitor peptides (Peps) and their receptors: interfamily incompatibility of perception but compatibility of downstream signalling. J Exp Bot 66: 5315-5325.
• Klauser D., Flury P., Boller T., & Bartels S. (2013). Several MAMPs, including chitin fragments, enhance AtPep-triggered oxidative burst independently of wounding. Plant signaling & behavior 8: e25346.
• Flury P., Klauser D., Boller T., & Bartels S. (2013). MAPK phosphorylation assay with leaf disks of Arabidopsis Bio-protocol 3: e929.
• Flury P.*, Klauser D.*, Schulze B., Boller T., & Bartels S. (2013). The anticipation of danger: microbe-associated molecular pattern perception enhances AtPep-triggered oxidative burst. Plant Physiol 161: 2023-2035.
•   Boller T. & Flury P. (2012). Peptides as danger Signals: MAMPs and DAMPs. In: Irving H. R., Gehring C. (eds). Plant signaling peptides. Springer: Heidelberg, Germany. pp 163-181.

* equal contribution