Gary Strobel

Dr. Gary A. Strobel (born September 23, 1938) is an American microbiologist and naturalist who was born and raised in Massillon, Ohio. He was co-contributor to the discovery that somaclonal variation occurs in plants and can be used for plant improvement. The discovery of the Ri plasmid in Agrobacterium rhizogenes also originated in his laboratory. His son, Scott Strobel, is a professor at Yale University. More recently, he has begun to examine endophytic fungi and bacteria for their novel bioactive compounds and their unique biology. Forbes magazine called him the "Indiana Jones of fungus hunters" for his expeditions, collections, and research into fungi.