Recruiting for the cluster was initiated in 2015 and has resulted in four hires. The cluster faculty develop new knowledge to better understand the fundamental basis of emerging infectious diseases caused by pathogens of plants including the development of tools – enabling a more rapid response to contain and limit potential damage by emerging threats. The cluster faculty research has a focus on emerging plant disease biology using an array of new technologies to gather, analyze, synthesize, and share knowledge about emerging infectious diseases of plants caused by agricultural crop pathogens and associated arthropod vectors using novel biosurveillance methods, host parasite biology, bioinformatics and innovative detection technologies. The EPDGFS team has secured grants from major funding organizations including NSF, USDA, DOE and several large agrochemical companies.