It’s a sobering thought that a single tree can harbour hundreds of species - yet few people will realise that some of those species live, not just on the bark or in fissures, but within the very leaves themselves.
A fascinating free webinar will explore the fascinating world of fungal communities that live inside leaves - also known as endophytes.
The ’Microbial Communities in the Leaves around Us’ webinar and coffee hour will air on April 29 as part of the Microbes and Social Equity 2026 Speaker Series.
Ecology of endophytes
Introduced by MSE founder and leader Professor Sue Ishaq, Dr Naupaka Zimmerman, an assistant professor at the University of Kansas, will explore how fungal communities living inside leaves (endophytes) are shaped by their environment, host plants, and geography.
Drawing on his fieldwork in California and Hawai‘i, he will share findings from studies using culturing, microscopy, and molecular sequencing to understand how factors like land use, host genotype, and climate influence microbial diversity.
His research reveals the remarkable complexity of leaf-dwelling fungi in both natural and urban ecosystems, and contributes to a deeper understanding of plant–microbe interactions with implications for ecology, conservation, and climate adaptation.
Fascinating journey
Dr Naupaka Zimmerman is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Kansas (KU). He was previously an Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the MS Biology Program at the University of San Francisco.
His research explores microbial ecology, with a focus on the communities of fungi that live inside plant leaves without causing disease, known as endophytes. His work investigates how environmental conditions, host species, and geography influence the diversity and function of these microbes.
Born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, Dr Zimmerman has studied the microbial ecology of native Hawaiian plants, particularly Metrosideros polymorpha. At USF, his lab worked on plant–microbe interactions in urban environments and sustainable agricultural systems, including research across San Francisco and at Star Route Farms in Marin County.
He plans to extend that work to agricultural and grassland systems in the midwest in his new role at KU. His team uses fieldwork, microscopy, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics to understand how plant-associated microbes contribute to ecosystem processes such as decomposition, plant health, and resilience to pathogens.
Coffee and chat
After the talk, we continue the conversation with an informal social hour. Join us as we chat with the speaker, MSE members, and attendees about research, teaching, our pets, and more!
Programme (Timings are EST)
11:00 Welcome and introduction - Professor Sue Ishaq, Founder and Lead, MSE
11:05 Guest speaker - Dr Naupaka Zimmerman PhD
11:45 Audience question and answer session
12:00 Informal coffee and chat
13:00 Close
’Microbial Communities in the Leaves Around Us’ runs 11am – 1pm EDT, 29 April 2026. To book for FREE, click HERE.
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