Louis Bengyella, Ph.D.

Louis Bengyella, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Research Professor
Commercial Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab Head
208 Tyson Building
University Park, PA 16802

Areas of Expertise

  • Hemp Production Sciences
  • Plant Pathogen Interactions
  • Fungal Secretomics
  • Plant Proteomics
  • Turfgrass Pest Diagnostics

Websites

Education

  • Ph.D. in Biotechnology, University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India, April 2014
  • BSc & MSc in Biochemistry, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2001-2007

Current Focus

My laboratory offers advanced commercial testing services for turfgrass pathogens via classical cultural, microscopic, and molecular methods (PCR, RT-PCR, qPCR, ELISA, etc.,), and pesticide resistance and susceptibility testing of invasive pathogens. Our services support homeowners, golf course superintendents, and all turfgrass stakeholders. My research interests include (1) molecular epidemiology, plant-microbe interactions of fungi and viruses, (2) fungi secretome effector proteins and diagnostic tool development, and (3) characterization of newly reported plant pathogens of turfgrass and industrial hemp production.

Professional Background

  • Assistant Research Professor, The Pennsylvania State University, 2021-present
  • Senior Field Research and Development Manager, American Farms Consulting, 2019–2020.
  • Post-doctoral Research Associate, Washington State University, WA, 2018–2019.
  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Vaal University of Technology, South Africa, 2017–2018.
  • Senior Lecturer, University of Health and Allied Sciences, 2015–2016.
  • Post-doctoral Scholar, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, 2014–2015.
  • PH.D. Research Scholar, The Burdwan University, West Bengal, India, 2010 – 2014.
  • MSc. Graduate Research Assistant, The University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon 2001–2007.

Honors and Awards

  • African-German Network of Excellence, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH)-TWAS, 2016
  • The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and DBT, Government of India, 2010 – 2014.
  • Roger Pelle Fellowship Grant, 2007 and 2009.

Publications

Discovery of succinate dehydrogenase candidate fungicides via lead optimization for effective resistance management of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici
3 Biotech, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Bengyella, Louis, Shahid, Ahmad Ali, Nawaz, Kiran, Anwar, Waheed, Khan, Azhar Ali, 2022

Assessment of damage caused by evolved fall armyworm on native and transgenic maize in South Africa
Phytoparasitica, Bengyella, Louis, Hetsa, Bakoena Ashton, Fonmboh, Dobgima J., Jose, Robinson C., 2021

Global impact of trace non-essential heavy metal contaminants in industrial cannabis bioeconomy
Journal of Toxicology - Toxin Reviews, Bengyella, Louis, Kuddus, Mohammed, Mukherjee, Piyali, Fonmboh, Dobgima J., Kaminski, John E., 2021

Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis among pregnant women in the Ho municipality, Ghana
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Afeke, Innocent, Kwawu, Grace Sefakor, Mbroh, Hintermann Kobina, Osei, George Yiadom, Louis, Bengyella, Deku, John Gameli, Kasu, Emmanuel Senyo, Mensah, Prosper, Agede, Charles Yao, Dodoo, Cornelius, Asiamah, Emmanuel Akomanin, Tampuori, John, Korbuvi, John, Opintan, Japheth Awuletey, 2020

Biotechnological application of endophytic filamentous bipolaris and curvularia
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bengyella, Louis, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Nawaz, Kiran, Fonmboh, Dobgima J., Yekwa, Elsie L., Jones, Robinson C., Njanu, Yiboh M.T., Roy, Pranab, 2019

Cellular and proteomic events associated with the localized formation of smut-gall during Zizania latifolia–Ustilago esculenta interaction
Microbial Pathogenesis, Jose, Robinson C., Bengyella, Louis, Handique, Pratap J., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2019

Global insight into the distribution of velvet-like B protein in Cochliobolus species and implication in pathogenicity and fungicide resistance
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bengyella, Louis, 2018

Global challenges faced by engineered Bacillus thuringiensis Cry genes in soybean (Glycine max L.) in the twenty-first century
3 Biotech, Bengyella, Louis, Yekwa, Elsie Laban, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Nawaz, Kiran, Jose, Robinson C., Fonmboh, Dobgima J., Tambo, Ernest, Roy, Pranab, 2018

Diversity of Trichoderma species in chili rhizosphere that promote vigor and antagonism against virulent Phytophthora capsici
Scientia Horticulturae, Nawaz, Kiran, Shahid, Ahmad Ali, Bengyella, Louis, Subhani, Muhammad Nasir, Ali, Muhammad, Anwar, Waheed, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Ali, Shinawar Waseem, 2018

Evidence of genetically diverse virulent mating types of Phytophthora capsici from Capsicum annum L.
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nawaz, Kiran, Shahid, Ahmad Ali, Bengyella, Louis, Subhani, Muhammad Nasir, Ali, Muhammad, Anwar, Waheed, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Ali, Shinawar Waseem, 2018

Global invasive Cochliobolus species
Archives of Microbiology, Bengyella, Louis, Yekwa, Elsie Laban, Nawaz, Kiran, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Tambo, Ernest, Alisoltani, Arghavan, Feto, Naser Aliye, Roy, Pranab, 2018

Invasive Aspergillus terreus morphological transitions and immunoadaptations mediating antifungal resistance
Infection and Drug Resistance, Bengyella, Louis, Yekwa, Elsie Laban, Subhani, Muhammad Nasir, Tambo, Ernest, Nawaz, Kiran, Hetsa, Bakoena Ashton, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Roy, Pranab, 2017

Cochliobolus lunatus down-regulates proteome at late stage of colonization and transiently alters StNPR1 expression in Solanum tuberosum L.
Archives of Microbiology, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Jose, Robinson C., Goyari, Sailendra, Bhardwaj, Pardeep Kumar, Talukdar, Narayan C., Roy, Pranab, 2017

Upsurge in Curvularia infections and global emerging antifungal drug resistance
Asian Journal of Scientific Research, Bengyella, Louis, Yekwa, Laban E., Waikhom, Sayanika D., Nawaz, Kiran, Iftikhar, Sehrish, Motloi, Teboho S., Tambo, Ernest, Roy, Pranab, 2017

Investigation on the biotrophic interaction of Ustilago esculenta on Zizania latifolia found in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot
Microbial Pathogenesis, Jose, Robinson C., Goyari, Sailendra, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Handique, Pratap J., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2016

Current trends in outwitting resistance development in Candida infections through photodynamic and short peptide therapies
Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Atadja, Peter W., 2016

Biotrophic interaction of Sporisorium scitamineum on a new host-Saccharum spontaneum
Zeitschrift fur wissenschaftliche Mikroskopie und mikroskopische Technik, Jose, Robinson C., Louis, Bengyella, Goyari, Sailendra, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Handique, Pratap J., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2016

Can free open access resources strengthen knowledge-based emerging public health priorities, policies and programs in Africa? [version 1; referees
F1000Research, Tambo, Ernest, Madjou, Ghislaine, Khayeka-Wandabwa, Christopher, Tekwu, Emmanuel N., Olalubi, Oluwasogo A., Midzi, Nicolas, Bengyella, Louis, Adedeji, Ahmed A., Ngogang, Jeanne Y., 2016

First proteome study of sporadic flowering in bamboo species (Bambusa vulgaris and Dendrocalamus manipureanus) reveal the boom is associated with stress and mobile genetic elements
Gene, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Goyari, Sailendra, Jose, Robinson C., Roy, Pranab, Talukdar, Narayan Chandra, 2015

Resistance gene analogs involved in tolerant cassava–geminivirus interaction that shows a recovery phenotype
Virus Genes, Louis, Bengyella, Rey, Chrissie, 2015

Virus tolerance and recovery from viral induced-symptoms in plants are associated with transcriptome reprograming
Plant Molecular Biology, Bengyella, Louis, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Allie, Farhahna, Rey, Chrissie, 2015

Unveiling the optimal parameters for cellulolytic characteristics of Talaromyces verruculosus SGMNPf3 and its secretory enzymes
Proceedings of the Society for Applied Bacteriology, Goyari, S., Devi, S. H., Bengyella, L., Khan, M., Sharma, C. K., Kalita, M. C., Talukdar, N. C., 2015

Erratum to
BMC Genomics, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Roy, Pranab, Bhardwaj, Pardeep Kumar, Singh, Mohendro Wakambam, Goyari, Sailendra, Sharma, Chandradev K., Talukdar, Narayan Chandra, 2015

Cochliobolus lunatus colonizes potato by adopting different invasion strategies on cultivars
Microbial Pathogenesis, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Jose, Robinson C., Goyari, Sailendra, Talukdar, Narayan C., Roy, Pranab, 2015

Invasion of Solanum tuberosum L. by Aspergillus terreus
BMC Research Notes, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Roy, Pranab, Bhardwaj, Pardeep Kumar, Singh, Mohendro Wakambam, Chandradev, Sharma K., Talukdar, Narayan Chandra, 2014

Scanning electron microscopy of pollen structure throws light on resolving Bambusa-Dendrocalamus complex
Plant Systematics and Evolution, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Louis, Bengyella, Roy, Pranab, Singh, Wakambam Mohendro, Bharwaj, Pardeep K., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2014

Secretome weaponries of Cochliobolus lunatus interacting with potato leaf at different temperature regimes reveal a CL[xxxx]LHM - motif
BMC Genomics, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika D., Roy, Pranab, Bhardwaj, Pardeep K., Singh, Mohendro W., Goyari, Sailendra, Sharma, Chandradev K., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2014

Host-range dynamics of Cochliobolus lunatus
BioMed Research International, Louis, Bengyella, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Roy, Pranab, Bhardwaj, Pardeep Kumar, Sharma, Chandradev K., Singh, Mohendro Wakambam, Talukdar, Narayan Chandra, 2014

An effective protocol for micropropagation of edible bamboo species (Bambusa tulda and Melocanna baccifera) through nodal culture
The Scientific World Journal, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Louis, Bengyella, 2014

Grappling the high altitude for safe edible bamboo shoots with rich nutritional attributes and escaping cyanogenic toxicity
BioMed Research International, Waikhom, Sayanika Devi, Louis, Bengyella, Sharma, Chandradev K., Kumari, Pushpa, Somkuwar, Bharat G., Singh, Mohendro W., Talukdar, Narayan C., 2013

The farmers cry
Asian Journal of Plant Pathology, Bengyella, L., Pranab, R., Yekwa, E. L., Waikhom, S. D., 2012

In vitro seed germination and micropropagation of edible bamboo dendrocalamus giganteus munro using seeds
Biotechnology, Devi, W. Sayanika, Bengyella, L., Sharma, G. J., 2012