Post Doc, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, 2010
Area of Study: Plant-Microbe Interactions

PhD, University of Arkansas, 2005
Area of Study: Cell and Molecular Biology

MS, University of Arkansas, 2002
Area of Study: Crop, Soil , and Environmental Sciences

BS, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, 1999
Area of Study: Agronomy

Areas of Interest

Dr. Gomez’s research examines the complex interactions among plants, herbivorous insects, beneficial soil microorganisms, and environmental factors that influence plant health, growth, and defense. Her work integrates plant physiology, molecular biology, ecology, and genomics to understand how plants respond to multiple biotic and abiotic stimuli simultaneously.Ìý

A major focus of her research is the study of tripartite interactions among plants, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and insect herbivores, particularly aphids. Her laboratory investigates how beneficial root symbiontsalter plant defense pathways, phytohormone signaling, and gene expression, and how these changes subsequently affect insect performance and plant resistance.Ìý

Dr. Gomez is also interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-microbe symbioses, including the regulation of AM interactions, nutrient exchange, and the transcriptional networks involved in the establishment and maintenance of symbiotic relationships. Her earlier work contributed to understanding gene expression during arbuscule development and degeneration in the model legume Medicago truncatula.Ìý

Her current research employs transcriptomics, gene expression analyses, and phytohormone profiling to examine how plants allocate resources toward growth, defense, and stress tolerance. Through these approaches, she seeks to identify key signaling pathways that mediate plant responses to both beneficial and antagonistic organisms.Ìý

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• Gomez, S.K., A.K. Maurya, L. Irvin, M.P. Kelly, A.P. Schoenherr, J.C. Huguel-Tapia, A. Bombarely. (2023). A snapshot of the transcriptome of Medicago truncatula (Fabales: Fabaceae) shoots and roots in response to an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Environmental Entomology, nvad070.
• Mercado, J.E., R.T. Walker, S. Franklin, A.L. Kay, B. Ortiz-Santana, S.K. Gomez. (2023). Xylem traumatic resin duct formation in response to stem fungal inoculation in Douglas-fir and Lodgepole pine. Forests, 14(3): 502.
• Olson, D., H. Berry, J. Riggs, C. Argueso, S.K. Gomez. (2022). Phytohormone profile of Medicago in response to mycorrhizal fungi, aphids, and gibberellic acid. Plants, 11(6): 720.
• Mercado, J.E., R.T. Walker, S.K. Gomez, S. Franklin, S.L. Kay, R. Hubbard. (2021). Changes in transpiration and leaf water potential in Douglas-fir trees following Douglas-fir beetle attack and mechanical girdling. Forests, 12(1722): 1-10.
• Rizzo, E., T. Sherman, P. Manosalva, S.K. Gomez. (2020). Assessment of local and systemic changes in plant gene expression and aphid responses during potato interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and potato aphids. Plants, 9(82): 25.
• Schoenherr, A., E. Rizzo, N. Jackson, P. Manosalva, S.K. Gomez. (2019). Mycorrhiza-induced resistance in potato involves priming of defense responses against cabbage looper (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera). Environmental Entomology, 48(2): 370-381.
• Maurya, A. K., M.P. Kelly, S.M. Mahaney, S.K. Gomez. (2018). Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis alters plant gene expression and aphid weight in a tripartite interaction. Journal of Plant Interactions, 13(1): 294-305.
• Garzo, E., E. Rizzo, A. Fereres, S.K. Gomez. (2018). High levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus colonization on Medicago truncatula reduces plant suitability as a host for pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum). Insect Science.