Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis

James F. White, Jr., Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Plant Biology and Pathology Department in the School of Environmental & Biological Science at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. He conducts research on the biology of fungal endophytes and is the author of more than 150 articles. He is also the editor of several reference books on the biology, ecology, and evolution of fungi; and associate editor of the journal Mycologia. Dr. White was the founding Secretary of the International Symbiosis Society. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and maintains memberships in several scientific societies, including the Mycological Society of America (MSA) and the American Phytopathological Society (APS). Monica S. Torres, Ph.D., is currently a Post Doctoral Associate in the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology at Rutgers University, and a member of the faculty at the National University of Mar del Plata, Balcarce, Argentina. Her scientific interests are in the areas of taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution of the Clavicipitaceae and biology of fungal endophytes in natural and agricultural ecosystems.