LAB MEMBERS
Dr. Jane Marian Luis
Assistant Professor / Assistant Specialist
Dr. Luis earned a B.S. degree in Agriculture, major in Plant Pathology, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Pathology from the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University. Her experience spans both basic and applied research, including roles as a research and field technician at Virginia Tech, postdoctoral scholar at The Ohio State University, and postdoctoral research associate at Purdue University. She joined the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences at the University of University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa as an assistant specialist in July 2024. Her current work integrates research and extension efforts to develop sustainable management strategies to address fungal pathogens and diseases impacting tropical crops.
Email: luisjm@hawaii.edu, CTAHR Faculty Profile
Olatubosun Fisayo Ojo
M.S. Student, Tropical Plant Pathology
Olatubosun is a graduate research assistant in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He earned his B.S. in Biology from the National Open University of Nigeria and previously worked as a research supervisor at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria. At IITA, he focused on germplasm health, plant pathogen detection, and integrated pest management, giving him an edge in safeguarding plant health and biodiversity. His current research in Hawai‘i involves screening for host resistance to koa wilt, characterizing fungal pathogens affecting tropical crops, and developing sustainable plant disease management strategies. Olatubosun has a strong background in both field and laboratory diagnostics, and his work supports the broader goal of improving plant health and biosecurity in tropical agriculture. He is passionate about food security, disease surveillance, and innovative approaches to plant protection.
Email: oojo@hawaii.edu
Saimon Errel Caligayahan
M.S. Student, Tropical Plant Pathology
Saimon is a plant pathologist from Quezon Province, Philippines. He graduated with a degree of B.S. in Agriculture, major in Plant Pathology, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 2019 and became a licensed agriculturist the same year. He began his career as a seed analyst at the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) National Seed Quality Control Services, where he worked in the Seed Health Unit ensuring the quality and health of seed samples by identifying seedborne fungal pathogens present. Currently a graduate research assistant at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR), Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS), he contributes to plant disease diagnosis and research, including a survey of fungal diseases affecting tomato.
Email: sescali@hawaii.edu
Sophia Van Wagoner
Research Assistant, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (Fall 2025)
Undergraduate student, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Project: Characterization of fungal populations associated with macadamia nuts in Hawai‘i
Tani-Lei Nishikawa
Mentee, Science Fair Project (Fall 2024 - Spring 2025)
Senior student, Kailua High School
Project: Spore-trapping and detection of fungal plant pathogens