Tar Spot is a devastating disease of corn that was first identified in the upper midwestern United States in 2015.  The disease led to devastating yield losses in farmer fields in 2018 and 2021.  Dr. Matthew Helm is a research molecular biologist with the Agricultural Research Service arm of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) and is stationed at Purdue University.  Dr. Helm's current research involves understanding the molecular interactions between the tar spot pathogen and its host to ultimately develop plants that can prevent and/or tolerate infection. For more information on this topic, follow Dr. Helm on Twitter (@mattdhelm19) or email him at [email protected].