The Ruth Allen Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding innovative research contribution that has changed, or has the potential to change, the direction of research in any field of plant pathology.
Dr. Michelle Lynn Heck an internationally recognized leader in plant-vector-pathogen interactions, advanced the science of vector biology and the management of vector-borne plant diseases over the past two decades. Born in New York City, Dr. Heck earned her Ph.D. in 2005 from the School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, New York, where she developed a foundational understanding of plant vascular biology and molecular genetics through the discovery of the first plant gene, GAT1, that regulates protein movement through plasmodesmata. She received training in vector biology, plant pathology and proteomics during her postdoctoral training with Dr. Stewart Gray at the USDA-ARS at Cornell University. Since her appointment to permanent status with USDA-ARS in 2013, she has distinguished herself through her interdisciplinary approach, scientific leadership, and transformative contributions to plant pathology.
Currently a GS-15 Research Molecular Biologist and Lead Scientist with the USDA-ARS Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit in Ithaca, New York, Dr. Heck leads interdisciplinary research teams in Ithaca, NY and Fort Pierce, FL with commercial growers and partners at Cornell University and the University of Florida. Her collaborative projects span academia, government agencies, and industry, exemplified by her development of the “Grove-First” initiative – a USDA-funded project designed to identify and deploy field-ready solutions for citrus greening disease. The Grove-First initiative provides the first in-field, statistical framework to find solutions for citrus greening disease. Grove-First enabled rapid screening of over 280 injectable citrus greening treatments in the field. Of these, 17 treatments with positive effects on infected citrus trees have been advanced into commercial field trials across Florida in research supported by the Florida Citrus Research and Development Foundation. The outputs of Grove-First feed into the Citrus Research and Field Trial program for larger-scale field evaluation. Dr. Heck’s research streamlines regulatory frameworks and supports data-driven decision-making. The Grove-First project informed regulatory changes that allowed Florida citrus growers to have continued access to the only tool they currently have available to manage citrus greening disease.
Dr. Heck has published over 95 papers and chapters, secured more than $36 million in competitive funding and delivered keynote and plenary lectures. She serves on grant panels for the National Science Foundation and the USDA. Her ability to merge fundamental and applied research has led to groundbreaking discoveries, including the “symbiont” concept, with colleagues in USDA-ARS and other partners. “Symbionts” are clusters of autonomously dividing cells that produce biomolecules of interest and form a vascularized, gall-like structure directly connected to the tree. Her team is advancing the symbiont concept to produce and deliver therapeutic biomolecules to treat citrus trees infected with citrus greening and to prevent healthy trees from becoming infected. Her field experiments are testing the efficacy of the technology and demonstrate the technology’s safety. These data inform regulatory policy that guide permit requirements, which broaden access to symbiont technology for researchers and citrus growers.
Beyond citrus research, Dr. Heck has advanced the understanding of aphid-transmitted poleroviruses, addressing critical challenges in U.S. potato and cotton industries. She led a research team that solved the structure of the elusive polerovirus readthrough protein domain, the region of the virus capsid that regulates interactions with aphid tissues, and demonstrated that the readthrough protein domain can be used as a biotechnology tool to inhibit virus transmission. The conservation of the structure serves as a blueprint for a control strategy for control of all related polero-, enamo- and luteoviruses.
Dr. Heck’s research on aphid salivary proteomics revealed a new and important role for aphid-
associated bacteria in mediating plant-aphid interactions, a foundational study which established the important role played by aphids in manipulation of the plant phytobiome beyond transmission of plant viruses. She discovered that polerovirus infection in plants alters aphid anti-viral immunity, providing a new mechanistic insight into how plant pathogens manipulate insect vectors to promote pathogen dispersal.
Dr. Heck inspires and coordinates enterprise-level research efforts for USDA-ARS. She serves as the Lead Scientist for her USDA-ARS project, directs interdisciplinary teams of scientists, and collaborates with growers to implement innovative field solutions. Her strategic leadership and research creativity in USDA-ARS shaped two consecutive Action Plans in the USDA-ARS Crop Production and Quarantine National Program, influencing the research priorities of scientists nationwide from 2020-2030. As co-lead of the USDA-ARS Citrus Greening Grand Challenge, she mobilized over 30 USDA scientists toward achieving ambitious sustainability goals for citrus production, targeting a 20% increase in fruit quality and a 20% reduction in environmental impact by 2025. Her work in the Grand Challenge program dismantled limiting geographical silos in USDA-ARS, maximizing the potential of the Agency to tackle serious agricultural challenges.
Dr. Heck is a deeply committed mentor. Since 2013, she has directly mentored 9 graduate students and co-mentored 8 others through Ph.D. program in plant pathology or entomology at Cornell University. Her former graduate students and postdocs advance into independent research positions and other careers in science. Her mentorship enables her students to be highly competitive for external fellowships and grants. She serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Virology and the Journal of Proteome Research and was an editor for mSystems from 2015-2023. Her lab members hail from countries including the U.S., Uganda, Taiwan, Nigeria, Ecuador, and Brazil. Her holistic approach to mentorship prioritizes the well-being of her team. Her efforts to support her lab members are a genuine reflection of her compassion and humanity. She is a loyal friend, colleague, mentor and collaborator to many members of the American Phytopathological Society.
Dr. Heck’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2017 and the USDA-ARS Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award in 2014.
Dr. Heck exemplifies the highest standards of scientific ethics, achievement and leadership, honoring Dr. Ruth Allen’s legacy. Her transformative contributions to plant pathology, innovative approaches to vector-borne disease management, and unwavering commitment to mentorship make her a deserving candidate for the award.
