Joel Masanga

Postdoctoral Researcher in Jesse Lasky's Group focusing on trait discovery in sorghum, with particular interest in resistance to biotic stress caused by the parasitic weed Striga. I use a multidisciplinary approach comprising genomics, metabolomics, and phenotyping to uncover mechanisms of resistance and explore the role of plant metabolites in species interactions under changing environments. My goal is to identify and advance resilient germplasm for improved food security.

Selected publications

Joel Masanga, Parker Bartz, Gabriela Hernandes Villani, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Tana E. Wood, Benedicte Bachelot, Jesse R. Lasky. Legacy of warming and microbial treatments shape root exudates and rhizosphere fungal communities of a tropical tree. bioRxiv 2025.08.11.669667; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.11.669667

Chloee M. McLaughlin, Margarita Takou, Joel Masanga, Erica H. Lawrence-Paul, Evelyn J. Abraham, Melanie Perryman, Anna Calabritto, Amandeep Cheema, Baloua Nebie, Steven Runo, Joshua J. Kellogg, Roberta Croce, Daniel P. Schachtman, Huirong Gao, Ruairidh J. H. Sawers, Jesse R. Lasky. Strigolactone effects on Sorghum bicolor ecophysiology and symbioses.bioRxiv 2025.08.07.669140; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.07.669140

Fanna Maina, .. Joel Masanga et al. Delivering trait-enhanced varieties to African smallholders through a pangenomic breeding network. bioRxiv 2025.08.07.667917; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.07.667917