Dr. Benjamin W. Held

Research Scientist
University of Minnesota
495 Borlaug Hall
1991 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 612-625-6231
bheld@umn.edu

Ben Held at Ellesmere Island near the Peary historic huts

Research interests:
My research has been largely focused on wood deterioration processes and the preservation of historically significant structures and objects. An area of particular interest is studying these processes in polar environments, specifically the historic expedition huts in Antarctica and similar structures in the high Arctic. My research also involves wood from other terrestrial sites and waterlogged conditions. In addition, I have worked extensively on the biological control of blue stain on radiata pine in New Zealand and Chile.

Selected Publications:

Blanchette, R. A., B. W. Held, D. Mollov, J. Blake and A. W. D’Amato. 2015. First report of Heterobasidion irregulare causing root rot and mortality of red pines in Minnesota. Plant Disease doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS-11-14-1232-PDN Reprint

Hori, C, T. Ishida, K. Igarashi, M. Samejima, H. Suzuki, E. Master, P. Ferreira, F. J. Ruiz-Duenas, B. Held, P. Canessa, L. F. Larrondo, M. Schmoll, I. S. Druzhinina, C. P. Kubicek, J. A. Gaskell, P. Kersten, F. St. John, J. Glasner, G. Sabat, S. Splinter BonDurant, K. Syed, J. Yadav, A. C. Mgbeahuruike, A. Kovalchuk, F. O. Asiegbu, G. Lackner, D. Hoffmeister, J. Rencoret, A. Gutie rrez, H. Sun, E. Lindquist, K. Barry, R. Riley, I. V. Grigoriev, B. Henrissat, U. Kues, R. M. Berka, A. T. Martınez, S. F. Covert, R. A. Blanchette and D. Cullen. 2014. Analysis of the Phlebiopsis gigantea genome, transcriptome and secretome provides insight into its pioneer colonization strategies of wood. PLoS Genetics 10(12): e1004759. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1004759. Reprint

Riley, R., A. A. Salamov, D. W. Brown, L. G. Nagy, D. Floudas, B. W. Held, A. Levasseur, V. Lombard, E. Morin, R. Otillar, E. A. Lindquist, H. Sun, K. M. LaButti, J. Schmutz, D. Jabbour, H. Luo, S. E. Baker, A. G. Pisabarro, J. D. Walton, R. A. Blanchette, B. Henrissat, F. Martin, D. Cullen, D. S. Hibbett, and I. V. Grigoriev. Extensive sampling of basidiomycete genomes demonstrates inadequacy of the white-rot/brown-rot paradigm for wood decay fungi. 2014. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111:9923-9928. Reprint

Oritz, R., M. Parraga, J. Navarrete, I. Carrasco, E. de la Vega, M. Ortiz, P. Herrera, J. A. Jurgens, B. W. Held and R. A. Blanchette. 2014. Investigations of Biodeterioration by Fungi in Historic Wooden Churches of Chiloe, Chile. Microbial Ecology 67:568-575. Reprint

Inch, S., R. Ploetz, B. Held and R. Blanchette. 2012. Histological and anatomical responses in avocado, Persea Americana, induced by the vascular wilt pathogen, Raffaelea lauricola. Botany 90:627-635. Reprint

Fernandez-Fueyo, E, F. J. Ruiz-Dueñas, P. Ferreira, D. Floudas, D. S. …B. W. Held,…R. A. Blanchette, P. Kersten, A T. Martinez, R. Vicuna, and D. Cullen. 2012. Comparative genomics of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Phanerochaete chrysosporium provide insight into selective ligninolysis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 109:5458-5463. Reprint Supporting material for the paper

Held, B. W., B. E. Arenz and R. A. Blanchette. 2011. Factors influencing deterioration of historic structures at Deception Island, Antarctica. In Polar Settlements - Location, Techniques and Conservation. Edited by S. Barr and P. Chaplin. ICOMOS Monuments and Sites. International Polar Heritage Committee, Oslo, Norway. pp 35-43. ISBN 978-82-996891-3-7. Reprint

Arenz, B. E., B. W. Held, J. A. Jurgens and R. A. Blanchette. 2011. Fungal colonization of exotic substrates in Antarctica. Fungal Diversity 49:13-22. DOI:10.1007/s13225-010-0079-4

Farrell, R. L., B. E. Arenz, S. M. Duncan, B. W. Held, J. A. Jurgens and R. A. Blanchette. 2011. Introduced and indigenous fungi of the Ross Island historic huts and pristine areas of Antarctica. Polar Biology 34:1669-1677. DOI 10.1007/s00300-011-1060-8

Blanchette, R. A., B. W. Held, B. E. Arenz, J. A. Jurgens, N. J. Baltes, S. M. Duncan and R. L. Farrell. 2010. An Antarctic hot spot for fungi at Shackleton's historic hut on Cape Royds. Microbial Ecology 60:29-38. Reprint

Aytug, B., R. A. Blanchette and B. Held. 2010. Wood Species Identification. In: The Furniture from Tumulus MM. By E. Simpson. The Gordion Wooden Objects. Volume 1. Brill, Leiden. Pages 165-170. ISBN 9289004165397.

Richards, V., Godfrey, I., Blanchette, R., Held, B., Gregory, D. & Reed, E. (2009), In-Situ Monitoring and Stabilisation of the James Matthews Site in Proceedings of the 10th ICOM Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference, Amsterdam, 10-15 September 2007, eds K. Straetkvern & D.J. Huisman, Rijksdienst voor Archeologie, Cultuurlandschap en Monumenten (RACM), Amersfoort, pp. 113-160. Reprint

Blanchette, R. A., B. W. Held and J. A. Jurgens. 2008. Northumberland House, Fort Conger and the Peary Huts in the Canadian High Arctic: current condition and assessment of wood deterioration taking place. In: Historical Polar Bases – Preservation and Management. Edited by S. Barr and P. Chaplin. ICOMOS Monuments and Sites No.XVII. International Polar Heritage Committee, Oslo, Norway. pp.96. ISBN 978-82-996891-2-0. Reprint.