Research Spotlight

​Meenu Singla-Rastogi, Innes Lab, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA

Meet graduate student Suchismita "Suchi" Ghosh from the Innes lab at Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA. Suchi's very first first-author paper on the secretion of plant extracellular vesicles in response to compatible and incompatible fungal infections on alfalfa species was recently published in MPMI. In this Interactions spotlight, she provides insights into her deep-rooted passion for studying plant pathogens and how she navigated through the lows and highs during her graduate studies. Now that she has graduated, we congratulate her and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

1. What do you think is the most important or exciting finding from your paper?

Our paper is the first study that demonstrates a plant-fungal interaction interface in the three-dimensional space. Perhaps the most fascinating discovery is the presence of paramural bodies (PMBs) that are observed with a nonhost fungal pathogen infection in the plant cell and the corresponding increase in extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from nonhost infected plants. We could see the shape, and size, and evaluate the number of PMBs throughout the volume of the plant cell and reconstruct the images as 3D models. The images developed in this study provide us with a map to explore the insides of a plant cell during infection with its fungal pathogen, and thus, it is a first-of-its-kind study.

2. Was there a piece of data that was particularly challenging to obtain or a part of the project that was particularly difficult?

The most challenging data to obtain was a high enough resolution to visualize the contents inside the PMBs. These PMBs are extremely small, roughly 1 µm or less in diameter, and the vesicles inside them are even smaller. Using volume scope SEM was challenging in itself, but visualizing the vesicles inside PMBs seemed impossible. We then used focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) for that purpose, and what seemed particularly challenging was to optimize the preparation of sample blocks and image them using FIB-SEM.

3. What research project are you most excited about right now?

Currently, I am working on characterizing different populations of plant EVs. Our paper revealed that plant cells secreted more vesicles when infected with their host and nonhost fungal pathogens. This raises the question of whether plants secrete a special class of defense-related vesicles in response to pathogen attack? In my current project, I intend to answer this question and identify distinct vesicle protein markers that mark different vesicle populations. This research will allow us to identify new mechanisms deployed by plants to fight their pathogens and open novel and exciting research areas in the field of plant-pathogen interaction.

4. What drew you to your current lab?

I have always been fascinated by plant-pathogen interactions. My family members in India were farmers for several generations, and we mostly grow our own vegetables in our garden and land. As a child, I was fascinated with plant diseases and made observations on our farmland, like black or red spots on leaves, vegetables, and fruits. When I got my undergraduate degree in biotechnology, I researched more about plant immunity and how disease management of crop plants helps millions of people across the world. This made me want to join Dr. Roger Innes' lab at Indiana University Bloomington, as he is one of the leading plant immunity researchers. Roger had a website that shared a story about his passion for studying plant diseases to better manage them. I realized we have similar passions, and I decided to try my luck and travel halfway across the world to pursue my graduate studies.

5. (For graduate students) How did you choose to join your current graduate program?

The most important criteria for me were the work of the professor and the diversity within the university. Grad school is a marathon that is impossible without a community. I knew Indiana University has great plant scientists and an amazing Indian and international student community. I also emailed the professors I was interested in working with before applying to grad school, and how they responded (if they did) factored into my choice for grad school. I strongly believe that finding the right fit is one of the most important determinants of success in grad school.

6. What advice would you give to starting graduate students?

Always talk to your advisor and lay out your expectations before starting grad school. Do not be scared to ask questions. I asked my professor about his mentoring philosophy and how he dealt with low morale in grad students. It is important to also build a community outside grad school. I had hiking and fishing buddies in grad school, and they were an integral part of my life during those years.

7. Who has inspired you scientifically? Why?

As a child, I was profoundly influenced by Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. He is a Bengali, just like me, and an exceptional botanist and physicist. I was always interested in mathematics and plants, the two fields with minimum overlap. I graduated from the same undergraduate college in India as Dr. Bose and went on to his institute to do my master's research in plant immunity. I knew I wanted to study plants, and reading about his journey inspired me to follow my passion.

8. Have you been involved in other scientific/professional development activities? And, how have these contributed to your training?

I have been part of ASPB and IS-MPMI from the very beginning of grad school. It has helped me broaden my scientific network and attend conferences. I have gained tremendous insights on new technologies and works and formed collaborations from attending these conferences. I have also been able to make some industry connections by applying for industry-based conference travel awards. It was a great opportunity to explore outside of academia.

Besides academia, I love doing outreach with young kids. I taught an after-school math club for elementary students grades 3 to 6. I also volunteered for Science Olympiad training for middle school kids. These activities helped me keep my mind off grad school stress and give back to the community.

In grad school, I was part of the international student committee and my department's student committee. These programs have helped me form communities and friendships and develop leadership skills.

9. What is the greatest challenge you have encountered in your career? What did you do to overcome this challenge?

I had the misfortune of being a grad student in my early years when the global COVID-19 pandemic hit. It was a really hard time for me mentally. I was an international student, living alone, and socially distanced, with no family support here in the United States. I also lost a few family members back home due to COVID-19. All these conditions led to a lot of mental health problems, like depression and anxiety. It was hampering my productivity in the lab and my social life. Luckily, I had a lot of support from my PI, Dr. Roger Innes, and my lab members. I also underwent therapy and slowly worked through my issues. I took it one day at a time in the lab and found my ground back again.

10. How can people find you on social media?

X: @Suchi_EV_Plants

LinkedIn: @Suchismita Ghosh

11. Is there anything else you would like to share? If so, what is it?

Check out another paper from the Innes lab, "Three-Dimensional Ultrastructure of Arabidopsis Cotyledons Infected with Colletotrichum higginsianum," by former postdoc Dr. Kamesh Regmi. I am honored to be a part of this paper. This paper has some beautiful SEM images that delineate the cytological changes in Arabidopsis cotyledon upon fungal infection and represent them three-dimensionally.​